Isabela State University graduate Mark Vincent Espedilla, 23, shares undergraduate thesis he wrote about “ghosting.” Photos courtesy of Mark Vincent Espedilla
A psychology graduate from Isabela State University–Echague campus shared the undergraduate thesis he wrote about “ghosting,” an act of suddenly cutting ties with someone to end a relationship.
Mark Vincent Espedilla, 23, from Ilagan City, Isabela, created the thesis “Love Horror: Psychological Causes of Relationship Ghosting” to understand why people resort to this destructive breakup approach with their partners.
Espedilla told the Inquirer he was inspired to study ghosting after witnessing its effect on his friend, who had experienced it. He also wanted to know more about the topic since it became a staple terminology online for years.
In his study, the findings indicated high attachment anxiety and avoidance were present in the participants. It also noted a higher prevalence of ghosting among women and secondborn individuals.
Mark Vincent Espedilla presents “Love Horror: Psychological Causes of Relationship Ghosting.” Photo courtesy of Mark Vincent Espedilla
Espedilla also shared that he had to resign as a member of a student publication to focus on completing his thesis at the time. He highlighted that it was challenging because there were only limited resources on ghosting.
Despite the challenges he faced, Espedilla’s efforts bore fruit: He achieved a flat uno grade, and his thesis earned recognition online when it became viral on TikTok last year.
“I was also selected as a representative of the Psychology Department in the College-based Research Symposium, where I defended my thesis under the Social Category. Fortunately, I also got the 2nd Best Thesis then,” Espedilla added.
Meanwhile, Espedilla advised people who had been ghosted to always remind themselves that they were not the problem. He explained that they were solely victims of someone else’s relationship issues.
“Don’t ever question your worth. There’s nothing wrong with you. You are worthy of love. You lack nothing. You are enough; they just don’t deserve the love you can give them,” Espedilla said.
Espedilla also offered a few words for the “ghosters” to assess their dating patterns. He stressed that they must determine if they are ready to commit to a relationship because ghosting damages people.
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