YES, WE COPE: Dyadic Coping as a Mediator Between Perceived Relationship Quality and Emotional Representation of COVID-19

Ana Paula Relvas; Laura Lacomba-Trejo; Alda Portugal; Claudia Chiarolanza; Sofia Major; Catarina Rosa; Luciana Sotero; Ashley K Randall

doi:10.1007/s10608-023-10379-4

YES, WE COPE: Dyadic Coping as a Mediator Between Perceived Relationship Quality and Emotional Representation of COVID-19

Cognit Ther Res. 2023 May 4:1-11. doi: 10.1007/s10608-023-10379-4. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Ana Paula Relvas^{1

2}, Laura Lacomba-Trejo³, Alda Portugal⁴, Claudia Chiarolanza⁵, Sofia Major⁶, Catarina Rosa⁷, Luciana Sotero¹, Ashley K Randall⁸

Affiliations

¹ Present Address: Center for Social Studies, University of Coimbra & Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, 3000-115 Portugal.
² Center of Social Studies, University of Coimbra & Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, 3000-115 Portugal.
³ Department of Social Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Speech Therapy, Universitat de València, Av. Blasco Ibáñez, 21. 46010, Valencia, Spain.
⁴ Center of Social Studies, University of Coimbra, 3000-115 Coimbra & Department of Psychology, University of Madeira, 9020-105, Funchal, Portugal.
⁵ Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, Rome, 00185 Italy.
⁶ Faculty of Social and Human Sciences, University of the Azores, Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive Behavioral Intervention, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
⁷ Department of Education and Psychology, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal.
⁸ Honors Faculty, Senior Global Futures Scientist Counseling and Counseling Psychology, Arizona State University, 446 Payne Hall Tempe, Arizona, 85281 AZ USA.

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about social changes that have impacted the functioning and dynamics of couples in a romantic relationship, arising from the overwhelming amount of added stress they have endured. Specifically, the divorce rate in Portugal has increased after lockdown, which underscores the adverse consequences of COVID-19 on couples. A lower quality of the couple's relationship may worsen the emotional representation of COVID-19; however, the literature suggests that perceived partner dyadic coping responses have a great influence on adverse events. The aim of the present study was to assess the mediating role of partner coping in the association between relationship quality and emotional representation of COVID-19. We also sought to observe whether the length of the relationship moderates this association.

Methods: Participants (N = 528) were adults living in Portugal (84.7% female) currently in a romantic relationship with their current partner for at least 1 year. Online data collection.

Results: We found that relationship quality predicted COVID-19 emotional representation, but this association was fully mediated by total dyadic coping. This association was especially significant in couples with a shorter length of time in the relationship.

Conclusions: We point out the importance of dyadic coping as a protective factor against emotional distress to cope with the ongoing stressors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. These data suggest the need for relationship education programs that promote positive coping between partners.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10608-023-10379-4.

Keywords: COVID-19; couple; dyadic coping; emotional response; perceived quality of relationships.

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