Relationship Satisfaction in the Early Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-National Examination of Situational, Dispositional, and Relationship Factors

Abstract

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has had a large impact on various aspects of life, but questions about its effect on close relationships remain largely unanswered. In the present study, we examined changes in relationship satisfaction at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic by using a sample of 3,243 individuals from 68 different countries. Participants responded to an online survey that included questions about relationship aspects (e.g., shared time, housework division), special circumstances (e.g., exit restrictions), and enduring dispositions (e.g., insecure attachment). A decline in time shared with one’s partner was the strongest predictor of decreases in relationship satisfaction, resulting in a different pattern of findings for cohabiting and non-cohabiting individuals. Among the most influential moderators were lockdown policies and insecure attachment. Differential involvement of men and women in household duties remained largely unchanged. The findings offer insights into aggravating and/or protecting factors in couples’ responses to pandemic-related stressors.

Youth Relationships in the Era of COVID-19: A Mixed-Methods Study Among Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Kenya

“…Sixty-eight percent of girls spent less time with their partners since COVID-19 began, a change that was associated with worsening or mixed relationship quality. Romantic deprivation was most common among non-cohabiting participants who had not seen their partner in the last two weeks, supporting similar findings of prior studies among adults in high-or middle-income settings [16,25]. Together these results alert us to the consequences of social restrictions on romantic experiences of non-cohabiting youth.…”

“…Together these results alert us to the consequences of social restrictions on romantic experiences of non-cohabiting youth. An online study, including participants from 63 countries, mostly from the United States and Europe, found significant declines in relationship satisfaction among non-cohabitating partners due to decreased time together amid COVID-19 [16]. The consequences of social restrictions were magnified in our study's young population, including adolescents, which often entertains clandestine relationsdinteractions difficult to sustain while schools or social venues are closed due to the pandemic.…”

“…Although few adolescents reported spending more time with their partners during COVID-19, this proportion grew with age. Studies conducted during lockdowns in high-income settings demonstrate a sudden increase in shared time between cohabitating partners, with no impact on the overall quality of their relationships [16] or increases in conflict [25]. Studies centered on issues of intimacy during COVID-19 also report declines in the frequency of sexual intercourse among cohabitating partners during lockdown, related to increased anxiety and depression [24,26,27].…”

Initial Impacts of COVID-19 on Sex Life and Relationship Quality in Steady Relationships in Britain: Findings From a Large, Quasi-Representative Survey (Natsal-COVID)

“…We found few studies that have examined the impact of COVID-19 on intimate relationships and, in particular, how mechanisms of relationship support may have been affected. To generate data quickly, the majority of studies relied on convenience sampling (e.g., via social media; Balzarini et al, 2020;Lehmiller et al, 2021;Vigl et al, 2021), with consequent limitations on representativeness and generalizability. Studies have generally found that about half of participants experience a disruption to their sex-life quality, typically declines in frequency and satisfaction (Hensel et al, 2020;Vigl et al, 2021;Wignall et al, 2021).…”

“…To generate data quickly, the majority of studies relied on convenience sampling (e.g., via social media; Balzarini et al, 2020;Lehmiller et al, 2021;Vigl et al, 2021), with consequent limitations on representativeness and generalizability. Studies have generally found that about half of participants experience a disruption to their sex-life quality, typically declines in frequency and satisfaction (Hensel et al, 2020;Vigl et al, 2021;Wignall et al, 2021). There has been less attention to intimate relationship quality; one international probability study found associations between COVID-related stress and greater conflict, mitigated by partner responsiveness (Luetke et al, 2020) but did not consider other key aspects of relationship quality such as support.…”