Although monogamy (i.e., romantic and/or sexual exclusivity) remains the most common arrangement for romantic partnerships, there is little research exploring how couples communicate about exclusivity to one another. The current study assessed the ways in which couples discuss and negotiate exclusivity agreements, and whether those agreements change over time. Participants were 573 North American adults (mean age = 28.86 years; 52% identified as female) in romantic relationships who completed an online survey asking them to describe their current exclusivity agreements using both structured and open-ended survey questions. Open-ended data were subjected to inductive content analysis, and eight primary themes were identified. Although most (91%) indicated that they have an agreement to remain romantically and sexually exclusive in their relationships, only 43% reported coming to the agreement during an explicit conversation with their partner. More often (52%) the agreements were described as implied, meaning they had never actually been discussed. Of those with exclusivity agreements, 87% reported no change to their agreement throughout the relationship. Implications are discussed in terms of the value of direct communication between partners about exclusivity and infidelity.
Despite the many sexual concerns experienced by new parents, and their reported desire for more information on this topic, both parents and healthcare providers remain reticent to broach the subject. The goal of this project was to disseminate evidence-based knowledge from our prior research in a way that was accessible, engaging, and would spark further interest and communication for both new parents and healthcare providers. We convened a multidisciplinary advisory group that also involved community parents who provided feedback at all phases of this project. We developed five brief YouTube videos, each featuring a core research finding. Following an empirically supported strategic knowledge translation plan, we disseminated the videos to our target audiences (i.e., expectant and new parents, healthcare providers, educators, and other stakeholders) using social media from February 2018 to November 2019. Data were collected using YouTube analytics and an online survey (convenience sample: N = 225 parents; N = 161 healthcare providers). From the date of the launch, the videos had a reach of 91,766 views from 14 countries, with viewers watching an average of 90% of a video. Overall, quantitative and qualitative survey results suggested that the videos were acceptable and appropriate, and respondents were more confident and comfortable discussing sexual issues (with their partner/with their patients) and would like more information about postpartum sexuality after watching the videos. YouTube videos are an acceptable and effective way to disseminate evidence aimed at raising awareness of factors affecting sexuality in the transition to parenthood.
The COVID-19 pandemic drastically affected how people interact socially. Stay-at-home orders, travel restrictions, and closures of non-essential businesses caused disruptions to the development of intimate relationships. Individuals develop expectations about how relationships should progress based on romantic scripts (i.e., relationship guidelines based on social norms), and typically report feeling more satisfied when their relationships follow these scripts. The current study was designed to assess how individuals involved in, or pursuing, intimate relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic adapted to these significant shifts to the progression of intimate relationships. Data were collected from user-generated posts on a popular online forum site. Analysis of spontaneous online communications during the first calendar year of the pandemic (2020) revealed notable impacts on the romantic scripts of individuals in all relationship stages (i.e., single, dating, new relationship, non-cohabiting, cohabiting, long distance, and relationship dissolution). Content analysis yielded themes related to the dominant discourse, as well as similarities across and differences between relationship stages. Overall, people described notable changes to their intimate relationship scripts that they attributed to the pandemic and restrictions. The results contribute to the current understanding of the pandemic’s impact on our closest, intimate relationships and provide insights for use in policy and research around social change.
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