Maintaining a satisfying romantic relationship is vital to overall health and well-being, yet relationship quality might be hampered by stressors brought on by the recent Covid-19 pandemic. In the Love in the Time of Covid study, we examine whether Covid-related stressors (i.e., social isolation, financial strain, and stress) are associated with lower relationship quality and greater conflict in relationships, and test whether perceived partner responsiveness—the extent to which people believe their partner understands, validates, and cares for them—buffers these effects. In the current study (N = 3,593 participants from 57 countries), when people reported more Covid-related stressors, they also reported poorer relationship quality and more conflict with their partner. However, these associations were mitigated when people perceived their partner as more responsive to their needs.

Background: Past research has shown that regulatory focus shapes people’s health and well-being, with those who are focused on prevention (vs. promotion) being more motivated by safety and being less inclined to take risks. Purpose: In the current study, we tested if having a prevention (vs. promotion) focus before the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak predicted perceptions and health outcomes and threat over the course of the pandemic.Methods: Participants (N = 161, 51.6% women; Mage = 34.04, SD = 7.77) took part in a longitudinal study. Measures were assessed before the pandemic was declared (in November 2019, T1) and after a global pandemic was declared (on June 2020, T2).Results: Results suggest that people who were more focused on prevention prior to the onset of the pandemic (at T1) perceived greater risk of contracting COVID-19, were more worried about being infected, and engaged in more preventative behaviors during the pandemic (at T2). Additionally, they also reported less anxiety and felt healthier (at T2). Conclusions: People focused on prevention (i.e., motivated by security) are more aware of health threats and more likely to engage in health-protective behaviors. Acting in accordance to their motives seems to help these people to experience better health and reduces anxiety about health even during a pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing measures caused widespread social and economic disruptions, resulting in spikes in unemployment and financial instability, along with drastic changes to people's ability to feel socially connected. These changes could have implications on people’s sex lives as external stressors, like those introduced amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, are risk factors for depressive symptoms, which are associated with lower levels of sexual desire. The current research (N = 4,993) examined whether external stressors brought on by COVID-19 were associated with sexual desire among people in relationships (Studies 1-2), and whether this association was, in part, due to reports of depressive symptoms (Study 2). In the period immediately following the onset of the pandemic, more financial concern (Study 1) and worry (Study 2) were associated with higher sexual desire, while other factors, like stress (Studies 1-2), were associated with lower desire. We also followed a subset of participants every two weeks during the initial stages of the pandemic and at times when people reported greater stress, loneliness, financial strain, or worry than their average, they reported greater depressive symptoms, which, was in turn, associated with lower sexual desire. Results suggest that the social isolation and stress resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic has mixed associations with sexual desire at the onset of the pandemic. But over time, when people report heightened COVID-related stressors, like stress and loneliness, they tend to report lower sexual desire for their partner, in part because these stressors are associated with more depressive symptoms.