Love in the time of COVID‐19: A systematic mapping review of empirical research on romantic relationships one year into the COVID‐19 pandemic

Abstract

The COVID‐19 pandemic has affected nearly every area of daily life, including romantic relationships. With the pandemic still ongoing, this study reviewed the existing scholarly literature to document the status of empirical research on how COVID‐19 has affected couples during its first year. Studies were identified through searching five databases as well as sources of gray literature. Overall, 42 studies on committed romantic relationships during the first year of the pandemic were identified. The mapping process revealed four main themes: (1) relationship quality; (2) sexuality; (3) couple daily adjustment; and (4) intimate partner violence. The findings suggest that the way romantic relationships were affected by the pandemic depends on a variety of demographic, individual, and couple‐level factors. Implications include a call for both the development of evidence‐based interventions that consider the current findings and further research to continue exploring the clinical implications of future findings to promote healthy intimate relationships during the ongoing global pandemic.

The sexuality of couples formed during the pandemic: An exploratory study

“…Moreover, results from the International Sexual Health and Reproductive (I-SHARE; [10]) survey suggested that people who had a steady relationship starting before COVID-19 showed an increased in sexual satisfaction. This finding is not surprising, as it could be speculated that having a steady relationship may be associated with more positive communication, less fear of transmitting COVID-19, and a reduction in mental health issues related to the pandemic and social restrictions [2,11].…”

“…The increase in psychological stress and the social restrictions have also had an impact on individuals' sexual functioning [1]. Accordingly, a recent systematic review [2], showed that most of individuals have experienced a decrease in overall sexual functioning, which was related to many factors including fear of transmitting COVID-19 and the increase in depression, anxiety, and stress. For example, a research conducted on the Italian population [3] showed that couples experienced negative mood associated with the discrepancy between their high sexual desire and the scarcer possibilities of actually engaging in sexual activities.…”

“…Indeed, the presence of restrictions has damaged the sexuality of noncohabiting couples as they have not been able to meet for weeks or even months [5]. The days spent at home, in the absence of external stimuli and the necessary privacy (either due to the constant presence of other family members or to the forced prolonged cohabitation), also influenced the relationship of cohabiting couples [2,4,6]. In general, most couples resorted to alternative ways of experiencing their sexuality, especially those couples who were at a distance [7].…”

“…Interestingly, results from research on quality of relationships were mixed [2], highlighting how negative changes were predicted by the worsening of mental health conditions. Accordingly, on the other side, engaging in joint activities, communicating constructively, and being able to balance autonomy were protective factors for mental health and, in turn, for the quality of relationships [3].…”

“…Accordingly, on the other side, engaging in joint activities, communicating constructively, and being able to balance autonomy were protective factors for mental health and, in turn, for the quality of relationships [3]. Particularly, stress seems to have been a key factor, as it was found to be predictive of sexual, romantic, and individual functioning [2,11,12].…”