Breadcrumbing Unveiled: Understanding, Addressing, and Empowering Youth Awareness

KAMINI PRAKASH REGE; PALAK AMRISH SANGHAVI; DEVAKI M VARMA; KARUNA GOPAL CHANCHLANI; SHRADHA SHAISHAV KAMBLE

doi:10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i06.60084

Breadcrumbing Unveiled: Understanding, Addressing, and Empowering Youth Awareness

Author(s)	Prof. Dr. KAMINI PRAKASH REGE, Ms. PALAK AMRISH SANGHAVI, Ms. DEVAKI M VARMA, Ms. KARUNA GOPAL CHANCHLANI, Ms. SHRADHA SHAISHAV KAMBLE
Country	India
Abstract	The world of dating is dynamic ever changing giving rise to new dating behaviours .(Rawat, 2024); (Drescher, 2023); (Navarro et al., 2020) defines “Breadcrumbing is a term rooted in modern dating culture, refers to a manipulative behaviour where one person gives intermittent, vague, and inconsistent attention through texts, social media, or occasional meetings to keep another person interested without genuine intentions of commitment”. The study's primary objective was to ascertain the level of awareness of this phenomenon among late teens (17-19 years) and young adults (20-22 years), as previous research indicates a significant gap in recognition. Using an exploratory research design, data was collected from a sample of 320 participants from Mumbai, Thrissur and Ernakulam (Kerala). The methodology involved a semi-structured questionnaire, which included both open- and close-ended questions. Key findings revealed a notable lack of awareness, with a substantial proportion (41.87%) of participants having limited understanding or misconceptions. The most common motivations for engaging in this behaviour were fear of commitment (45.93%) and avoidance of emotional intimacy (36.56%), while nearly half the participants (47.81%) complied with it due to a desire for closeness without commitment. The research also highlighted significant psychological impacts, including emotional confusion and sadness (47.18%), trust issues (38.12%), and emotional insecurity (36.56%). In terms of recognition, participants most commonly identified mixed signals (44.68%) and inconsistent communication (38.75%) as key signs. Based on these findings, the study concludes with the development of guidelines designed to raise awareness of breadcrumbing and foster healthier relationship practices among young people
Keywords	Breadcrumbing, Young Adults, Awareness, Late teens, Dating,
Field	Sociology > Home Science
Published In	Volume 7, Issue 6, November-December 2025
Published On	2025-11-13
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i06.60084

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Breadcrumbing Unveiled: Understanding, Addressing, and Empowering Youth Awareness

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