A Repeated-Measures Study of Relational Turbulence and Transition Processing Communication During the Summer of COVID-19 (Summer 2020)

Abstract

Drawing upon relational turbulence theory and the experiencing life transitions model, this study examined communication and relationship qualities as married couples experienced work-family changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sixty-four American married, different-sex partners affected by job-related changes due to COVID-19 reported their relationship qualities and their own and their spouse’s engagement in transition processing communication weekly for 10 weeks. Hypotheses addressed associations between relationship qualities and communication experiences both averaged across the 10 weeks and indexed by within-week deviations from those averages, controlling for the previous week’s reports. Husbands’ and wives’ own attempts—and also their perceptions of their spouse’s attempts—to increase interaction, promote connection, promote feeling situated, and increase confidence were associated with decreased relationship uncertainty and improved interdependence. Husbands’ self-reported relationship qualities demonstrated the strongest associations with averaged reports of relationship-focused communication, whereas wives’ relational qualities were more strongly associated with week-to-week fluctuations in relationship-focused communication.

Linking stress to the emergence of relational turbulence in marriage

“…For example, in a longitudinal study of romantic partners' experiences during COVID-19, Jones et al (2023) found that couples' engagement in communal coping-the extent to which partners view the problem as shared and seek resolution collaboratively-1 week led to decreased stress and improved relationship quality the following week. Similarly, Brisini and Solomon (2023) found that married partners' attempts to engage in strategic, relationshipfocused communication during the COVID-19 pandemic were associated with improvements in relational uncertainty and partner interdependence the following week. Although dyadic coping can help relationships withstand the negative effects of stress (Bodenmann & Cina, 2006), we wonder if experiencing relational uncertainty and disrupted interdependence complicates dyadic coping.…”

“…3 Data for this study were drawn from a larger project. Two additional studies have been published using this sample, one examining associations between weekly reports of relational turbulence and perceptions of social network engagement (Brisini & Solomon, 2022) and one examining associations between partners' weekly engagement in relationship-focused communication and relationship parameters (Brisini & Solomon, 2023).…”

“…In this report, we relied on secondary analysis of data collected from June to August 2020, which included a pre-test, 10 weekly surveys, and a post-test completed by 64 married couples who were coping with employment and other changes imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic (see Brisini & Solomon, 2023). Because the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic introduced new challenges into the lives of cohabiting couples, that time period affords a context in which to test RTT's assumptions about the development of relational turbulence over time.…”