Moderation of Technology Use in the Association Between Self-Isolation During COVID-19 Pandemic and Adolescents' Romantic Relationship Quality

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the moderating effects of technology use for relationship maintenance on the longitudinal associations among self-isolation during the coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) pandemic and romantic relationship quality among adolescents. Participants were 239 (120 female; M age = 16.69, standard deviation [SD] = 0.61; 60 percent Caucasian) 11th and 12th graders from three midwestern high schools.To qualify for this study, adolescents had to be in the same romantic relationship for the duration of the study, *7 months (M length of relationship = 10.03 months). Data were collected in October of 2019 (Time 1) and again 7 months later in May of 2020 (Time 2). Adolescents completed a romantic relationship questionnaire at Time 1 and again at Time 2, along with questionnaires on frequency of self-isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic and use of technology for romantic relationship maintenance. Findings revealed that increases in selfisolation during the COVID-19 pandemic related positively to the use of technology for romantic relationship maintenance and negatively to Time 2 romantic relationship quality. High use of technology for romantic relationship maintenance buffered against the negative effects of self-isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescents' romantic relationship quality 7 months later, whereas low use strengthened the negative relationship between self-isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic and romantic relationship quality. These findings suggest the importance of considering the implications of societal crisis or pandemics on adolescents' close relationships, particularly their romantic relationships.

A descriptive literature review of early research on COVID-19 and close relationships

“…However, TMC usage also frequently mediated the positive relationship between social distancing behaviors and positive affect ( Shufford et al, 2021 ). Engaging in self-isolation during COVID-19 was positively associated with increased technology use for romantic relationship maintenance by U.S. adolescents ( Wright & Wachs, 2021 ). In addition, TMC channels were particularly likely to be used, as compared to FtF, when death rates in one’s area were increasing ( Newson et al, 2021 ).…”

COVID-19 and Romantic Relationships

“…Technology use also mediated the negative relationships between self-isolation and relational quality for adolescence. While those who self-isolated more frequently reported a lower relationship quality, they also reported a higher use of technology, which led to an increase in relationship quality [21]. While stay-at-home orders and the youths' own intentions to self-isolate were hurdles in the management of romantic relationships, their communication behaviors and the adoption of new ways to communicate brought some improvements in the process.…”

Virtual Dating and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Investigating Motives, Predictors, and Outcomes

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The rise of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020 initiated a series of restrictions linked to increased loneliness (Ray, 2021;Tull et al, 2020) and social disconnection (Holaday et al, 2021). In response to safety concerns and distancing demands, people turned to communication technologies to meet and interact with others (Canale et al, 2022;Vargo et al, 2020;Wright & Wachs, 2021). One particular form of technology that surged throughout the pandemic was virtual dating, which we define as technologically mediated, non-platonic interactions under the pretense of forming sexual, romantic, and/or intimate connections.

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