Relationship maintenance strategies of rotational workers and their partners

Abstract

Although individuals who reside permanently in one location and work temporarily in another (i.e., rotational workers) represent a sizeable segment of the population, they are understudied in the empirical literature. Because rotational workers and their at‐home partners have unique long‐distance relationships due to frequent separations and reunions, they and their relationships should be examined. The primary aim of this study was to identify key factors associated with maintenance of romantic relationships between rotational workers and their at‐home partners. Participants (N = 289) were rotational workers (n = 129) and at‐home partners of workers (n = 160) who completed online surveys on individual, dyadic, and extra‐dyadic relationship maintenance behaviors and relationship characteristics over the course of two working‐reunion (roster) phases. Results indicated individual, dyadic, and extra‐dyadic behaviors positively predicted perceived relationship quality among partners and workers. Among partners, generosity positively predicted relationship quality at the first reunion and second departure phases. All other individual, dyadic, and extra‐dyadic relationship maintenance behaviors predicted relationship quality, regardless of the roster phase. Overall, results suggest the importance of relationship maintenance education for individuals in rotational romantic relationships.