What drives the end of a relationship when partners come from different countries and cultural backgrounds? Many studies suggest that binational couples face higher risks of separation, but most rely on statistical data that cannot capture the full complexity of how breakups unfold.
In the study “The Breakup of Binational Couples: Analyzing the Importance of Cultural Dissimilarity in the Couple Well Being”, our researchers Laia Folguera and Jordi Caïs, alongside with Jordi Roca and Flavia Verónica Anzil (Universitat Rovira i Virgili) explore the breakup processes of mixed couples from a qualitative perspective. Their work draws on interviews conducted over a twelve year period and offers a close look at how partners understand the reasons behind the end of their relationships.
A key finding stands out. Cultural distance is not a central cause in most breakup experiences. The researchers show that although cultural differences can appear in the narrative surrounding a separation, they rarely constitute the decisive factor. Instead, breakup reasons tend to reflect the internal dynamics of the relationship, similar to those found in couples with the same nationality.
The study identifies three main dimensions that explain the nuances in these breakups. First, the authors highlight reasons common to any intimate relationship, such as personality traits and individual expectations. Second, they examine how cultural differences are perceived and how these perceptions influence breakup narratives. Third, they focus on the changes and vulnerabilities linked to migrating for love, including economic instability, social class differences and the broader transnational context.
The presence of children emerges as a significant element. For some couples it becomes a reason to stay together while for others it accelerates separation. The authors suggest that parenthood in transnational contexts deserves further study, especially because gender roles can strongly influence decision making during and after divorce.
The research also reveals that cultural differences can be viewed in contradictory ways. In some stories they appear as sources of conflict, while in other cases they are described as motivations to seek a partner from another country. External pressures, such as disapproval from relatives, appear less often than expected. When mentioned, these factors tend to interact with other elements such as age differences or personal circumstances.
Although cultural distance plays a secondary role, migration related factors do influence vulnerability and marital stability. Breakups often have a stronger negative impact on the immigrant partner than on the local one. The authors point to the relevance of transborder intersectionality to understand how ethnicity, gender and social class shape these experiences.
Finally, the study stresses that breakup narratives must be interpreted with care. They reflect not only what happened but also how individuals make sense of their past relationships. Emotions, current living conditions and retrospective reflections shape the stories people tell. This diversity does not weaken the findings. It enriches them by revealing the plurality of experiences involved in the dissolution of binational couples.
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