AO3

• One problem with research examining relationship breakdown is the reliance upon restrospective data. 

  This means that the questionnaires or interviews used to asked participants about the breakup occur sometime after it happened 

  Peoples memories of the event may not be accurate, and may also be distorted by their current situation, which means that their answers may not be reliable.  

  As a result, it seems to be supported by research, does not necessarily describe how break ups happen in real life, weakening the model’s ability to present an accurate picture of relationship breakdown.  
• There are significant ethical issues involved in investigating relationship breakdown, such as privacy. 

  This is particularly problematic if the research involves victims of domestic abuse. 

  There are also ethical issues of confidentiality and protection from psychological harm, as participants may experience distress in the process of the research. 

  This makes the topic particularly difficult to investigate, as researchers may find it tricky to conduct a study where the benefits of research outweigh a possible negative impact on participants.  
• The social phase of Duck’s model is affected by individual differences, especially in relation to age of the partners. 

  Dickson found that friends and relatives tend to see teenagers breakups as less serious since the couple are young and inexperienced. 

  So, they will not put as much into reconciling partners as they would for an older couple. 

  The ending of relationships which were around longer are seen as more distressing and those close to the couple put more effort into bringing them back together. 
• Duck’s model cannot necessarily be applied to all couples. it suggests that the model in unable to accurately predict breakdown in different types of relationship.  
•  

  Ducks model has real-world applications, especially in couples councelling.  

  Couples may be advised to use different strategies depending on the phase that they are currently experiencing. 

  For example, Duck (1994) recommends that for a person in the intra-psychic phase, it may be useful to shift their attention to the positive aspects of their partners personality, while for a couple in the dyadic phase communication with their partner about dissatisfaction and ways to balance the relationship is crucuial. 
• Additionally, help and support can be sought from family members or friends if couples are found to be in the social stage of breakdown. 

  This shows that Duck’s model of relationship breakdown can be used successfully to help couples contemplating breakup to improve their relationships and stay together. 
• Duck’s phase model is based on relationships from individualist cultures, where ending the relationships is a voluntary choice, and separation and divorce are easily obtainable and do not carry stigma​. 

  However, this may not be the case in collectivist cultures, where relationships are sometimes arranged by wider family members, and characterised by greater family involvement​ 
• This makes the relationship difficult to end, which means that the breakup process will not follow the phases proposed by Duck​ 

  As a result, Duck's phase model is culturally biased as it assumes that breakup process is universal 
• Ducks model successfully describes how relationships break down, but not why. 

  It focuses on establishing universal principles of behaviour that would be true for all people.