TY - JOUR
T1 - Intimate Relationships in Times of COVID-19
T2 - A Descriptive Study of Belgian Partners and their Perceived Well-Being
AU - Sels, Laura
AU - Galdiolo, Sarah
AU - Gaugue, Justine
AU - Geonet, Marie
AU - Verhelst, Pauline
AU - Chiarolanza, Claudia
AU - Randall, Ashley K.
AU - Verhofstadt, Lesley
N1 - Funding Information:
The data and corresponding code to carry out the analyses in the manuscript can be found on https:// osf.io/u4ymg/. This research was supported by funding from the American Psychological Association’s Office of International Affairs (PI: Randall).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Ubiquity Press. All rights reserved.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - How did couples in Belgium cope during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic? In this study, grounded in relationship science, we investigated in a descriptive manner several factors that could affect how couples perceived individual and relational wellbeing during this time. Specifically, we examined the associations between gender, sexual orientation, parental status, and relationship duration on participants' self-reported individual and relational well-being after the first lockdown (more generally and more specific in response to COVID-19). Additionally, we investigated if relational well-being predicted perceived change in individual well-being from pre- to post- COVID-19 regulations. To test these hypotheses, self-report data was collected during the Summer of 2020 in both the Dutch and French speaking part of Belgium. Data from 679 participants suggested that individual and relational well-being only differed based on parental status (and not by gender nor sexual orientation). Importantly, parents reported lower relational well-being than participants without children, while participants without children reported higher perceived increases in depression. People that had been in a relationship for longer also reported lower relational well-being, but this relationship was explained by other confounding factors. Relational well-being buffered increases in individual distress that people perceived to have occurred pre- COVID-19 regulations to after COVID-19 regulations went into effect. These findings might inform practice and policy for individuals in a romantic relationship during the COVID-19 pandemic.
AB - How did couples in Belgium cope during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic? In this study, grounded in relationship science, we investigated in a descriptive manner several factors that could affect how couples perceived individual and relational wellbeing during this time. Specifically, we examined the associations between gender, sexual orientation, parental status, and relationship duration on participants' self-reported individual and relational well-being after the first lockdown (more generally and more specific in response to COVID-19). Additionally, we investigated if relational well-being predicted perceived change in individual well-being from pre- to post- COVID-19 regulations. To test these hypotheses, self-report data was collected during the Summer of 2020 in both the Dutch and French speaking part of Belgium. Data from 679 participants suggested that individual and relational well-being only differed based on parental status (and not by gender nor sexual orientation). Importantly, parents reported lower relational well-being than participants without children, while participants without children reported higher perceived increases in depression. People that had been in a relationship for longer also reported lower relational well-being, but this relationship was explained by other confounding factors. Relational well-being buffered increases in individual distress that people perceived to have occurred pre- COVID-19 regulations to after COVID-19 regulations went into effect. These findings might inform practice and policy for individuals in a romantic relationship during the COVID-19 pandemic.
KW - COVID-19
KW - Intimate relationships
KW - Relationship quality
KW - Wellbeing
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85124170472&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85124170472&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.5334/pb.1088
DO - 10.5334/pb.1088
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85124170472
SN - 0033-2879
VL - 62
SP - 1
EP - 16
JO - Psychologica Belgica
JF - Psychologica Belgica
IS - 1
ER -