Hayaleti Gördükten Sonra: Türkiye'deki Genç Yetişkinlerde Ghostlanma, Başa Çıkma Süreçleri ve Gelecekteki Romantik İlişkilerine Etkisi

Abstract

Bu araştırma, Türkiye’de genç yetişkinlerin ghostlanma deneyimleri, ghostlanma ile başa çıkma süreçleri ve ghostlanmanın gelecekteki romantik ilişkilerine etkisini anlamak, açıklamak ve keşfetmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Çalışma fenomenolojik desenli nitel bir alan çalışmasıdır. Çalışma alanı Türkiye’de ghostlanma deneyimi yaşamış genç yetişkinlerdir. Çalışma 15 erkek ve 15 kadın olmak üzere 30 kişilik amaçlı örneklem grubu üzerinden gerçekleştirilmiştir. Veriler 61 açık uçlu sorudan oluşan yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme kılavuzu üzerinden katılımcı gözlem ve derinlemesine görüşmeyle toplanmıştır. Görüşme verileri MAXQDA ve Excel programları kullanılarak kodlanmıştır. Çalışmanın amacını teşkil eden 3 tema için 518 ayrıca ikinci temanın çapraz analizleri için 597 olmak üzere toplamda 1115 kodlama gerçekleştirilmiştir. Bu kodlar 32 alt tema altında analiz edilmiştir. Araştırma, Bandırma Onyedi Eylül Üniversitesi Sosyal ve Beşerî Bilimler Etik Kurulu'nun onayının ardından başlamıştır. Çalışmanın temalarına göre öne çıkan sonuçları şunlardır: Tema 1: Türkiye’de ghostlanma fenomeni başlangıç aşamasındadır. Ghostlanma yaygınlaşmakta olup daha da yayılması beklenmektedir. Ghostlanma “aldatmak gibi” romantik ilişkilerin istenmeyen fakat ihmal edilemeyecek bir risk faktörü olarak genel kabul görmektedir. Ghostlanmanın bir algoritması bulunmaktadır. Tema 2: Türkiye’deki genç yetişkinlerin ghostlanma ile başa çıkma süreçlerinin literatürle paralellik arz ettiği görülmektedir. Tema 3: Ghostlanma gelecekteki romantik ilişkiler üzerinde yıkıcı sonuçlar doğurmanın yanında genç yetişkinlerin sosyal ilişkilerini de ciddi oranda olumsuz etkilemektedir. Genç yetişkinler (özellikle kadınlar) sonraki romantik ilişkilerinde yönetmekte zorlandıkları ghostlanma kaygısı yaşamaktadırlar. Genç yetişkinler bencilleşerek ve etraflarına duvar örerek deneyimin olumsuz etkileriyle başa çıkabileceklerine inanmaktadırlar. Ghostlanma evlilik yaşını anlamlı bir biçimde ileri yaşlara taşımaktadır. Fakat çocuk sahipliği yaşı üzerinde anlamlı bir etkisi bulunmamaktadır.

Keywords

• Sosyal değişim
• Gençler
• Ghostlama
• Başa çıkma süreci
• Türkiye

After Seeing the Ghost: Ghosting, Coping Processes and Impact on Future Romantic Relationships among Young Adults in Türkiye

Abstract

This study aims to understand, explain, and explore the ghosting experiences of young adults in Türkiye, their coping mechanisms in response to ghosting, and its impact on their future romantic relationships. Designed as a qualitative field study with a phenomenological approach, the research focuses on young adults in Türkiye who have been subjected to ghosting. The sample consisted of 30 individuals (15 men and 15 women) selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through participant observation and in-depth interviews using a semi-structured interview guide comprising 61 open-ended questions. The interview data were coded using MAXQDA and Excel software. A total of 1,115 codes were generated—518 related to the study’s three primary themes and 597 for the cross-analysis of the second theme. These codes were categorized into 32 sub-themes. Ethical approval for the study was obtained from the Social and Human Sciences Ethics Committee of Bandırma Onyedi Eylül University. Key findings based on thematic analysis are as follows; Theme 1: The phenomenon of ghosting is in its early stages in Türkiye. However, it is rapidly spreading and is expected to become more prevalent. Participants described ghosting as an undesirable but increasingly normalized risk in romantic relationships, akin to infidelity. Ghosting was also reported to follow a discernible "algorithm" or pattern. Theme 2: The coping mechanisms employed by young adults in Türkiye largely align with those documented in existing literature. Theme 3: Ghosting has significant and often detrimental effects on future romantic relationships, as well as on broader social interactions among young adults. Particularly among women, ghosting anxiety is common and difficult to manage in subsequent romantic encounters. Many participants reported adopting self-protective behaviors—such as emotional withdrawal or increased self-centeredness—as a means of coping. Additionally, ghosting was found to contribute to a noticeable delay in the age of marriage, though it did not significantly impact the age at which participants expected to have children.

Keywords

• Social change
• Young people
• Ghosting
• Coping process
• Türkiye

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