Together, but Alone: A Thematic Analysis of the Athletes’ and Their Partners’ Experience of Physical Separation in Romantic Relationships

Abstract

Athletes and their romantic partners may experience physical separation as a result of the frequent athletes’ training camps. Little is known about how such couples experience this separation. To fill this gap, the current interview-based research examined how three pairs of Polish athletes aged 22-30 (M = 23.50, SD = 25.17) experience separation in their relationships. The thematic analysis identified four themes: 1) Perception of separation as an element of the relationship; 2) Emotions during separation; 3) Maintaining contact during separation; and 4) Coping with separation. The findings revealed that athletes and their partners perceived separation as a stage, opportunity, necessity, and natural part of their relationships. Emotions related to separation ranged from negative through mixed to positive. Partners maintained regular contact, which provided closeness and continuity in their relationships despite the distance. Finally, partners coped with separation by accepting its necessity, enhanced by the awareness of the realities of sport life. They also coped with separation through mutual support, self-realization, distraction and being among other people and seeking support from them. This study suggests that physical separation in romantic relationships may be an essential and multifaceted part of the participants’ experiences in the romantic functioning and sports careers.