Love in the time of Covid‐19

A brief report on relationship and individual functioning among committed couples in the United States while under shelter‐in‐place orders

Bibliographic Data

ID21320019
AuthorsDanielle M Weber (0000-0002-6387-6128, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill North Carolina USA, corresponding author), Alexandra K Wojda (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill North Carolina USA), Emily A Carrino (0000-0002-5786-1974, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill North Carolina USA), Donald H Baucom (0000-0003-4287-4155, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill North Carolina USA)
Year2021
Volume60
Issue4
Pages1381-1388
Publication date2021-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueFamily Process (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0014-7370 • E-ISSN: 1545-5300
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/famp.12700
PMID34315187
OpenAlexW3186302644
LanguageEN
Citations received9
References cited24

The COVID‐19 pandemic in the United States has changed many aspects of people's daily life, including increased time at home in response to shelter‐in‐place orders, heightened stress about health effects of COVID‐19, and shifts in other domains of life (e.g., employment). These lifestyle changes are likely to impact the well‐being of individuals and their romantic relationships. This investigation examined how COVID‐19 influenced couple and individual well‐being in real‐time during the early phase of the pandemic. Data were collected in early May 2020 during shelter‐in‐place orders in the United States. Participants in committed relationships ( n = 332) completed an online survey assessing their experiences currently and before the pandemic. Results suggested that while couple functioning overall maintained or even improved, individual well‐being was more negatively impacted by the pandemic. Moreover, some groups who are at higher risk of a poor health outcome from COVID‐19 or experience unique challenges as a result of COVID‐19 reported worse outcomes (e.g., those whose employment changed) while others did not decline in their psychological and couple functioning (e.g., Black individuals and older individuals). These findings suggest that the pandemic has had varied impacts on couples and individuals, as well as across different virus‐related risk factors. Further research is needed to understand the nuanced effects of this pandemic on couples and individuals across time

2019-20 coronavirus outbreak · Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) · Developmental psychology · Disease · Environmental health · Pandemic · Poison control · Sociology · Suicide prevention · Well-being · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics · COVID-19 and Mental Health · Demography · Medicine · Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction · Psychology · Social Psychology · Gerontology

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