For better or worse: economic strain, furlough, and relationship quality during Lockdown
For better or worse: economic strain, furlough, and relationship quality during Lockdown
Objective: This study evaluates the role of objective and subjective measures of economic uncertainty, as well as furlough schemes, on changes in couples' relationships during the first lockdown in the UK. Background: Most theories of relationship quality argue that economic uncertainty strains intimate relationships, leading to a deterioration in relationship quality. Few studies capture such an intense period of economic uncertainty, and the role of government policy to mitigate the impact of the economic crisis. Method: The study employs the UK Household Longitudinal Covid-19 surveys conducted in April–June 2020. Using multinomial logit regression models (N = 5792), we examine how self-reported change in relationship quality is associated with socioeconomic status, subjective financial uncertainty, and change in employment situation, especially for those furloughed through the UK government's Employment Protection Scheme. Results: The study finds that 8% of individuals reported a decline in their couple relationship quality, but 19% reported improvements. Those with higher education and household earnings were more likely to experience improvements in relationship quality. Reduced work hours or job loss was not associated with changes in relationship, although expecting a worse future financial situation was. Furlough was strongly associated with improvements in relationships, and furloughed men were slightly more likely to report an improvement in their relationships than women. Conclusion and Implications: Although prior research has found that economic uncertainty is detrimental to relationships, employment protection schemes seem to have mitigated some of the worst effects on families.
couples, economic well-being, family stress, family well-being, gender, policy
Perelli-Harris, Brienna
9d3d6b25-d710-480b-8677-534d58ebe9ed
Chao, Shih-Yi
66a5d917-544a-46ea-85d7-7a2d303d4469
Berrington, Ann
bd0fc093-310d-4236-8126-ca0c7eb9ddde
20 January 2023
Perelli-Harris, Brienna
9d3d6b25-d710-480b-8677-534d58ebe9ed
Chao, Shih-Yi
66a5d917-544a-46ea-85d7-7a2d303d4469
Berrington, Ann
bd0fc093-310d-4236-8126-ca0c7eb9ddde
Perelli-Harris, Brienna, Chao, Shih-Yi and Berrington, Ann
(2023)
For better or worse: economic strain, furlough, and relationship quality during Lockdown.
Journal of Marriage and Family.
(doi:10.1111/jomf.12906).
Abstract
Objective: This study evaluates the role of objective and subjective measures of economic uncertainty, as well as furlough schemes, on changes in couples' relationships during the first lockdown in the UK. Background: Most theories of relationship quality argue that economic uncertainty strains intimate relationships, leading to a deterioration in relationship quality. Few studies capture such an intense period of economic uncertainty, and the role of government policy to mitigate the impact of the economic crisis. Method: The study employs the UK Household Longitudinal Covid-19 surveys conducted in April–June 2020. Using multinomial logit regression models (N = 5792), we examine how self-reported change in relationship quality is associated with socioeconomic status, subjective financial uncertainty, and change in employment situation, especially for those furloughed through the UK government's Employment Protection Scheme. Results: The study finds that 8% of individuals reported a decline in their couple relationship quality, but 19% reported improvements. Those with higher education and household earnings were more likely to experience improvements in relationship quality. Reduced work hours or job loss was not associated with changes in relationship, although expecting a worse future financial situation was. Furlough was strongly associated with improvements in relationships, and furloughed men were slightly more likely to report an improvement in their relationships than women. Conclusion and Implications: Although prior research has found that economic uncertainty is detrimental to relationships, employment protection schemes seem to have mitigated some of the worst effects on families.
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Covid_Relationship_Quality_JMF_Final
- Accepted Manuscript
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J of Marriage and Family - 2023 - Perelli‐Harris - For better or worse Economic strain furlough and relationship quality
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More information
Accepted/In Press date: 19 December 2022
e-pub ahead of print date: 20 January 2023
Published date: 20 January 2023
Additional Information:
Funding Information:
This research was funded by the ESRC Centre for Population Change grant number ES/R009139/1.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Marriage and Family published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of National Council on Family Relations.
Keywords:
couples, economic well-being, family stress, family well-being, gender, policy
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 474510
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/474510
ISSN: 0022-2445
PURE UUID: ba32a9b5-7482-4807-9c4b-db63f86fc1b7
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Date deposited: 23 Feb 2023 17:44
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 03:23
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Author:
Shih-Yi Chao
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