ABSTRACT
One of the main criticisms aimed at the phase model is that it fails to provide an explanation of relationship breakdown, it just describes what happens. Other stage/phase explanations do try to provide this kind of explanation. For example, Kayser and Rao provide an alternative phase model of relationship breakdown that follows a very similar pattern to that of Duck. Kayser and Rao’s model has phases that go from the point at which disappointment with the relationship starts to emerge (sometimes before the ink is dry on the marriage certificate) through to increasing anger and ending with apathy and indifference. Rollie and Duck made amendments to the model that reinforced the role of communication while still keeping the same basic structure of the phase model itself. Using the evaluation points for Duck’s phase model, the arguments for and against Duck’s model are considered as an explanation of the process of relationship breakdown.
