Assessing the Effects of COVID-19 on Romantic Relationships and the Coping Strategies Partners Use to Manage the Stress of a Pandemic

ABSTRACT As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, romantic partners and families were forced to develop new routines under increasingly stressful circumstances. These conditions had the potential to introduce challenges in romantic relationships, exacerbate existing tensions, and called for the implementation of effective coping strategies. In this study, 151 dyads (302 individuals) from across the United States wrote narrative responses to open-ended questions about the effects of COVID-19 on their relationship and the coping behaviors they employed during the early months of the pandemic. Responses were subjected to thematic analysis to identify categories for each question. Four themes emerged reflecting effects on relationships and eight categories emerged describing the coping strategies used by participants. The results are discussed in terms of their alignment with the logic of relational turbulence theory and perspectives on communal coping, as well as the practical implications for helping couples manage stress during times of crisis.