On-again, off-again relationship

An on-again, off-again relationship (also known as an on-and-off relationship) is a form of interpersonal relationship between two people whose breakups are followed by reconciliation, perpetuating a cycle.^[1] Relationship reconciliation is defined as the process in which partners attempt to heal the hurt or wrong that was done and move on from it in order to progress forward in the relationship.^[2] This process of breaking up and getting back together can be short-term or long-term.^[3]

These relationships differ from non-cyclical relationships in that on-again, off-again relationships are between partners that have pre-existing knowledge and experiences with each other.^[4] In addition to this, on-and-off partners often report more relationship uncertainty, questioning the meaning of the relationship, its strength, and future.^[5] Despite this, a 2009 study published in the Personal Relationships Journal revealed that nearly two-thirds of participants have experienced being in an on-again, off-again relationship.^[6]

According to Professor Rene Dailey at the University of Texas at Austin, there are no specific relationship dispositions that make someone more or less likely to be in an on-again, off-again relationship. Dailey defines relationship disposition to be the way that individuals approach their relationship in regards to its purpose and functioning. This includes attachment style, destiny and growth beliefs, and communal orientation. In her 2020 study of on-and-off and non-cyclical partners, results did not show on-and-off partners to be more avoidant, believe in destiny more strongly, or have less communal orientation than the non-cyclical couples.^[7]