Grief and Sexual Intimacy: Exploring Therapists' Views of Bereaved Clients.

The interaction between sexual intimacy and grief remains unexplored despite its potential to offer valuable insights into how individuals, couples, and society perspectives shape bereaved individuals' sexual intimacy. Through semi-structured interviews with ten clinical psychologists and psychotherapists specialized in grief therapy, this study explores the impact of grief on sexual intimacy, the challenges faced by bereaved individuals, and the role of sexual intimacy in the grieving process. The study also investigates therapists' approaches to addressing sexual intimacy within grief therapy sessions. Findings reveal that grief often disrupts sexual intimacy, affecting individuals' ability to engage emotionally and physically with their partners. Factors such as secondary loss, emotional availability, traumatic experiences, and the nature of the loss contribute to difficulties in resuming sexual intimacy. Nevertheless, the helpful role of sexual intimacy in grief was also highlighted. Therapists note the significance of communication, mutual empathy, and understanding in overcoming these challenges, advocating for therapy to address these issues comprehensively. Moreover, therapist-related, client-related, and shared factors hindering the exploration of sexual intimacy in grief therapy were identified. Strategies for managing these challenges include normalizing discussions around sexual intimacy and death, integrating systemic approaches into therapy, and providing training in sexuality or sexual therapy for grief therapists. Overall, this study underscores the importance of recognizing and addressing the interplay between sexual intimacy and grief to support bereaved individuals effectively. Insights from therapists shed light on potential avenues for enhancing clinical interventions and fostering awareness of the complex dynamics surrounding bereavement and sexuality.

Sexual well-being among partnered adults and couples over 60: a scoping review.

INTRODUCTION: Although society still holds age-related stereotypes dismissing the sexuality of aging individuals, older adults remain sexually active and find sexuality to be an important part of their quality of life. Primarily oriented toward a biomedical and dysfunctional lens, prior research neglected the subjective well-being of elderly individuals, especially partnered adults and couples aged 60 years or more. Shedding a more positive light on this area of life could promote older individuals' and couples' sexual well-being. OBJECTIVES: This scoping review aimed to synthetize the studies including community samples of partnered adults or couples over 60 who reported on various indicators of subjective sexual well-being including sexual satisfaction, distress, and function using validated measures. METHODS: Adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMAScR), the electronic literature search was conducted using PubMed, PsycINFO, Medline, and CINAHL for peer-reviewed journal articles published before July 2023. RESULTS: Results showed how relational variables such as relationship satisfaction and intimacy emerge as important correlates of older adults' sexual well-being. CONCLUSION: Avenues for future research arising from gaps in the studies identified thorough this scoping review, including the underrepresentation of sexual/gender diverse individuals and the use of single and/or non-validated items to assess sexual well-being, are discussed.

Power dynamics in couple relationships: A review and applications for systemic family therapists.

Power dynamics, generally defined as the patterns of partners enacting or resisting influence, are inherent in all relationships. Power structures and processes play a role in people's perceptions of themselves and others, their feelings and emotions, and both their implicit and explicit behaviors. As such, understanding power dynamics is crucial for fully conceptualizing and intervening within relationships. Although power was not always given high priority in many of the early systemic family therapy models, that has changed over the years, with scholars working to address how power is manifested in relationships, how power imbalances affect relationships, and how power can be addressed more explicitly in treatment. Nonetheless, there is much additional work needed to ensure that systemic therapists have an appropriate depth of understanding regarding power dynamics to fully recognize their manifestations in relationships and then intervene appropriately. To help in these efforts, this paper aims to synthesize relational power research into a more complete description of what power is and how it is enacted in couple relationships. To do this, we introduce relevant perspectives of power not fully integrated with family therapy theories. Overall, we provide a brief history of power-oriented research in the fields of family therapy, outline couple research regarding the sources of power that can inform therapeutic case conceptualizations and interventions, describe how power is addressed in specific couple therapy models, and highlight some important clinical applications that can help systemic therapists more fully address power.

Searching for who benefits most and least: An analysis of moderators of the TRUE Dads fatherhood intervention.

Evaluations of interventions to promote fathers' involvement in family life typically focus on whether or not the intervention has a positive impact. Some evaluations also attempt to describe mediators that explain how the intervention is linked to specific outcomes. An evaluation of TRUE Dads, a Randomized Clinical Trial of a couples-based fatherhood intervention for low-income families, reported results that addressed these two issues. Reporting new analyses, the present study addresses a question asked in only a very few fatherhood intervention studies: Are there moderator variables that define characteristics of participants who benefit most or least from the intervention? A total of 46 potential moderators of 2 significant intervention outcomes - reductions in personal distress and in negative evaluations of the parents' relationship with each other - were selected from a 5-domain risk/protective model of family functioning (Cowan & Cowan, 2018. Journal of Family Theory & Review, 92, 111) and from a set of demographic variables associated with these outcomes. An additional 24 potential moderators were tested on 4 outcomes that did not have direct intervention effects. Only 6 of the 70 moderator tests were statistically significant. The intervention provided greater reductions in parents' personal distress when fathers had more economic resources, co-parents had higher levels of education, and the parents were living in the same household on entering the study. There were greater reductions in negative aspects of their couple or co-parenting relationship when the parents at enrollment described more difficulties in the parent-child relationship, fathers were more involved in the children's daily care and were living in the household with their child. No other moderators were found. The results support the conclusion that TRUE Dads was equally effective for a relatively wide range of participants. This search for potential moderators of TRUE Dads outcomes is presented as an example of a needed direction in the evaluation of fatherhood interventions.

Development of the Couples' Sleep Conflict Scale: A new tool to assess conflict around sleep in romantic relationships.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Couples' Sleep Conflict Scale, a new measure designed to identify the extent of conflict around sleep in romantic relationships. METHODS: Data from an individual sample (N = 158) and dyadic sample (N = 143 mixed-gender couples) in romantic relationships were used to examine the psychometric properties of the Couples' Sleep Conflict Scale, including internal consistency, convergent and divergent validity, and whether the factor structure differed between couples with concordant and discordant chronotypes. RESULTS: Results revealed that the Couples' Sleep Conflict Scale fit a 1-factor solution of 5 items, a summed or mean score can be used, and that it is reliable for both men and women. In addition, more relational sleep conflict was associated with both their own and their partners' poorer sleep hygiene, worse sleep quality, and more daytime sleepiness as well as more general relationship conflict, lower relationship satisfaction, and higher anxious and avoidant attachment. Finally, we found partial measurement invariance for factor loadings, intercepts, and latent variable variances between couples with concordant vs. discordant chronotypes. CONCLUSION: The Couples' Sleep Conflict Scale is a brief measure that can be used in both research and in health care settings to examine how sleep-related conflict can affect both sleep and relationship quality among couples.

Socioeconomic inequalities in child and adolescent mental health in Australia: the role of parenting style and parents' relationships.

BACKGROUND: Socioeconomic inequalities in health and their determinants have been studied extensively over the past few decades. However, the role of parenting style and parents' couple relationships in explaining mental health inequalities is limited. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the distributional impact of parenting style (angry parenting, consistent parenting, and inductive parenting) and parents' couple relationships (e.g., argumentative, happy relationships) on socioeconomic inequalities and by extension on mental health status of Australian children and adolescents. METHODS: This study utilized data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (Waves 1-7), specifically focusing on intact biological parent families, while excluding single-parent and blended-family households. We applied the decomposition index and the Blinder Oaxaca method to investigate the extent of the contribution and temporal impact of parenting style and parents' couple relationships on the mental health status of Australian children and adolescents. RESULTS: This study revealed that poor parenting style is the single most important factor that leads to developing mental health difficulties in children and adolescents, especially from low socioeconomic status, and it contributes almost 52% to socioeconomic inequalities in mental health status. Conversely, household income, maternal education, employment status, and parents' couple relationships contributed 28.04%, 10.67%, 9.28%, and 3.34%, respectively, to mental health inequalities in children and adolescents. CONCLUSION: Overall, this study underscores the importance of parenting style and parents' couple relationships as significant predictors of mental health outcomes in children and adolescents. These results highlight the need for targeted interventions to support families from low socioeconomic backgrounds to address the significant mental health inequalities observed in the study population.

Is the association of sexual quality with relationship satisfaction really stronger when the sexual relationship is functioning poorly?

The purpose of this article is to bring empirical evidence to the oft-quoted assumption that sexual quality has a stronger association with the overall relationship when sexuality is dysfunctional as compared to when it is optimal. Using three national samples to analyze a structural equation model, the results verified this assumption with some adaptations. There was an interaction between the association of sexual quality and the overall relationship depending on how sexually satisfied couples were in the sexuality area. However, it was when sexuality was only moderately satisfying rather than at high or low levels that it had the strongest associations with relationship satisfaction. Also, female sexual quality had a significant association with both partner's relationship satisfaction whereas male's sexual quality only had actor effects. Additionally, the sexual relationship had a stronger association with relationship satisfaction and dissatisfaction for couples who reported both low levels of sexual satisfaction and dissatisfaction.

Adaptations to adult attachment and intimacy following spinal cord injury: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: Experiencing spinal cord injury (SCI) can be life-changing for individuals and their families. Previous reviews have focused on coping and psychological adjustment, sexual function and sexuality, or factors facilitating or impeding interpersonal relationships after SCI. However, there is a very little synthesis of research focusing on changes to adult attachment and emotional intimacy post-SCI. This review aims to examine the mechanisms of change in adult attachment and intimacy in romantic relationships following SCI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four online databases (Psycinfo, Medline, CINAHL, and Scopus) were searched for qualitative papers concerning romantic relationships, attachments, and intimacy post-SCI. Sixteen of the 692 papers met the inclusion criteria. These were quality assessed and analysed using meta-ethnography. RESULTS: Three main themes emerged from the analysis: (a) strengthening and maintaining adult attachment; (b) changes in roles; and (c) changing views of intimacy. CONCLUSION: Many couples face significant changes to adult attachment and intimacy following SCI. Systematic ethnographic analysis of their negotiations enabled the identification of underlying relational processes and adaptation strategies associated with changes to inter-dependence, communication, role revision, and re-definition of intimacy. The findings indicate that healthcare providers should assess and respond to challenges faced by couples post-SCI using evidence consistent with adult attachment theory.Implications for RehabilitationProfessionals should support both partners to develop strategies to try to cope with spinal cord injury (SCI) and its associated stressors following injury.Information and support regarding both the physical and emotional impact of the injury on coupledom and romantic relationships should be provided after SCI.Support should be tailored to reflect an individual with SCI and their partner's cultural and societal background and needs.

Offering and Asking for Help with Domestic Chores in Couple Relationships.

Domestic chores are a topic of great interest for couple relationships since they are a source of conflict between intimate partners. The purpose of the present research is to investigate offering and asking for help with domestic chores and the respondents' tendency to be intuitive or verbal or to do chores alone. A vignette applied to children and married adults. The respondents were 116 boys and 116 girls and 110 male partners and 300 female partners, who completed individual questionnaires, online using Google Forms, regarding helping behaviour. Research findings indicate that men are more verbal and women are more intuitive when offering help, but when asking for help with domestic chores, men and women are statistically similar. The present research raises questions about the role of gender differences in couple relationships, and about educational solutions for couples and provides opportunities for future research.

Neural responses to instructed positive couple interaction: an fMRI study on compliment sharing.

Love is probably the most fascinating feeling that a person ever experiences. However, little is known about what is happening in the brains of a romantic couple-the central and most salient relationship during adult age-while they are particularly tender and exchanging loving words with one another. To gain insight into nearly natural couple interaction, we collected data from N = 84 individuals (including N = 43 heterosexual couples) simultaneously in two functional magnetic resonance imaging scanners, while they sent and received compliments, i.e. short messages about what they liked about each other and their relationship. Activation patterns during compliment sharing in the individuals revealed a broad pattern of activated brain areas known to be involved in empathy and reward processing. Notably, the ventral striatum, including parts of the putamen, was activated particularly when selecting messages for the partner. This provides initial evidence that giving a verbal treat to a romantic partner seems to involve neural reward circuitry in the basal ganglia. These results can have important implications for the neurobiological mechanisms protecting and stabilizing romantic relationships, which build a highly relevant aspect of human life and health.

Examining the link between exercise-specific relational processes and physical activity, psychological distress, and relationship satisfaction among heterosexual and gay male couples.

Despite the important role of romantic relationships in physical activity, little research has examined the role of gender and sexual orientation in exercise-specific relational processes. Utilizing cross-sectional, dyadic data from 462 heterosexual and gay couples, the present study examined how exercise encouragement, exercise discouragement, and frequency of exercise disagreements are related to physical activity, psychological distress, and relationship satisfaction. We included important covariates and examined gender and sexual orientation as moderators. Higher exercise encouragement was associated with more frequent physical activity (for gay men only), lower psychological distress (for women only), and higher relationship satisfaction regardless of gender and sexual orientation. Higher exercise discouragement was associated with more physical activity for all participants and higher levels of psychological distress for gay men only. Finally, more frequent exercise disagreements were associated with more psychological distress for all participants. These findings highlight important implications for physical activity promotion, prevention, and intervention.

Closeness Discrepancies in Couple Relationships: A Dyadic Response Surface Analysis.

Individuals can differ in the degree of closeness they desire in their romantic relationships: Some people may perceive their current level of closeness as just right, whereas others may feel not close enough or too close to their partners (referred to as negative and positive closeness discrepancy, respectively). This study (N = 1,177 individuals from 748 couples) examined the implications of closeness discrepancies for subjective relationship quality (SRQ) using dyadic response surface analysis. The analyses found evidence for linear, but not broad, closeness discrepancy effects: SRQ was lower for individuals reporting more negative closeness discrepancies and, independent of this actor effect, for individuals with partners who reported more negative closeness discrepancies. These results suggest that low levels of closeness paired with a strong desire for closeness can impair both partners' relational well-being.

Long-term couple relationships - stress, problems and coping processes in couple counseling: Insights based on five case studies with five long-term couples.

In the course of demographic change, the proportion of older people in many countries is rising continuously and more and more people are experiencing a long time together as a couple. In old age, subjective wellbeing and health aspects are associated with partners' satisfaction with couple relationship. The need for couple counseling in old age is growing in parallel with demographic developments. However, empirical studies on couple therapy with older people in long-term couple relationships exist to date only to a limited extent. The present contribution deals with this knowledge gap. In an explanative two phases design, research has been conducted with long-term couples in couple counseling of which we would like to present here the central qualitative study. The aim is to be able to describe details of these factors. Older couples who have lived in long-term couple relationships were interviewed after using standardized questionnaires concerning the individual and couple-related stress factors and problems at the beginning (N = 62) and the end (N = 36) of their couple counseling process. Five couples from this study were the interviewees for the following study. The couples were interviewed separately. In this interview study and central part of this contribution, the stress factors, problem areas and coping processes of the older couples were examined. The results serve as a suggestion for further research and can only be interpreted with caution due to the small sample of five case studies: The central results of the study are summarized in a circular process model and are discussed in the light of relevant theoretical approaches. The culmination of massive chronic and acute strains and losses associated with feelings of excessive demands and desperation gave rise to emotional alienation of the partners. In the course of couple therapy, the partners mutually opened their thoughts and emotions and modified their previous dysfunctional pattern of interaction. Thus, emotional and physical rapprochement of the partners was fostered with the effect that subjective load of the partners and dissatisfaction of the couple relationship decreased, and subjective emotional wellbeing increased. To prevent negative emotions and destructive conflicts with their spouse, some of the interviewed partners actively used avoidance strategies in couple interactions. Upon completion of couple therapy changes in the couple relationships appeared instable as soon as overcharging stress factors occurred again. The results suggest that an approach to couple therapy for older people in long-term couple relationships should prioritize emotional safeness and attachment in couple relationship to facilitate constructive conflict management. The couple therapy process should emphasize emotion regulation strategies based on age-related strengths and consider age-related vulnerabilities. Moreover, long-term couples may benefit from catamnestic consultation appointments to consolidate the developed changes.

Relationship satisfaction moderates links between poor sleep quality and psychological distress among couples coping with type 1 diabetes.

OBJECTIVES: We examined links between sleep quality and psychological distress among couples dealing with type 1 diabetes (T1D) across cross-sectional and daily diary methods and investigated whether relationship satisfaction moderated these associations. METHODS: 199 persons with T1D and their spouses completed survey questionnaires reporting their own sleep quality, depressive symptoms, and relationship satisfaction. They also completed 14-day diaries reporting their own sleep quality and negative affect. Multi-level actor-partner interdependence models examined associations between sleep quality and psychological distress. RESULTS: Cross-sectional and daily diary data revealed an association between poorer sleep quality and higher psychological distress for both persons with T1D and their spouses (ie, actor effects). Some partner effects were found. For example, poorer sleep quality of persons with T1D was associated with greater negative affect for spouses (within persons). Relationship satisfaction moderated the effects of sleep quality on psychological distress. For example, participants' poorer overall daily sleep quality was associated with greater negative affect for those with lower relationship satisfaction but not for those with higher relationship satisfaction (ie, actor effects). In contrast, partners' poorer overall daily sleep quality was associated with participants' greater negative affect for those with higher relationship satisfaction but not for those with lower relationship satisfaction (ie, partner-effects). CONCLUSION: Links between sleep quality and psychological distress occur both within and between persons. Relationship satisfaction moderates the effect of poorer sleep quality on psychological distress in a nuanced way.

Propiedades psicométricas de la Escala de Confianza Diádica en personas gays y lesbianas en pareja / Psychometric Properties of the Dyadic Trust Scale in Gay and Lesbian People with a Partner

Resumen El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar las propiedades psicométricas de la Escala de Confianza Diádica (ECD, Larzelere & Huston, 1980) en personas gays y lesbianas de Chile. Para ello, se evaluó una muestra de 360 personas chilenas gay o lesbianas involucradas en una relación de pareja. Los datos obtenidos proporcionan evidencia de que el instrumento se ajusta de manera aceptable a una estructura unidimensional y que es invariante entre personas gay y lesbianas. Adicionalmente, se identificó que posee una consistencia interna adecuada, así como una asociación inversa entre los niveles de confianza diádica y la ansiedad y evitación del apego. En conclusión, la ECD posee propiedades psicométricas adecuadas para la evaluación de la confianza diádica en personas gays y lesbianas en el contexto chileno.

Abstract The present study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Chilean version of the Dyadic Trust Scale (DTS, Larzelere & Huston, 1980). For this purpose, a sample of 360 Chilean gay or lesbian people involved in a couple relationship was evaluated. The data obtained provide evidence that the instrument conforms acceptably to a unidimensional structure and scores are invariant between gay and lesbian persons. Additionally, it has adequate internal consistency, as well as an inverse association between levels of dyadic trust and attachment anxiety and avoidance. In conclusion, the ECD has adequate psychometric properties for the assessment of dyadic trust in gay and lesbian persons in the Chilean context.

Mental Health Challenges, Parenting Stress, and Features of the Couple Relationship in Parents of Children With Fragile X Syndrome.

Background: Individuals with fragile X syndrome (FXS) have significant delays in cognition and language, as well as anxiety, symptoms of autism spectrum disorder, and challenging behaviors such as hyperactivity and aggression. Biological mothers of children with FXS, who are themselves FMR1 premutation or full mutation carriers, are at elevated risk for mental health challenges in addition to experiencing stress associated with parenting a child with significant disabilities. However, little is known about fathers in these families, including the ways in which parental well-being influences the mother-father relationship and the impact of child characteristics on paternal and couple functioning. Method: The current study examined features of, and relationships between, parental well-being, couple well-being, and child functioning in 23 families of young boys with FXS. Mothers and fathers independently completed multiple questionnaires about their individual well-being, couple functioning, and child behavior. One parent per family also completed an interview about the child's adaptive skills. Results: Results suggest that both mothers and fathers in these families experience clinically significant levels of mental health challenges and elevated rates of parenting stress relative to the general population. Findings also indicate that the couples' relationship may be a source of strength that potentially buffers against some of the daily stressors faced by these families. Additionally, parents who reported less parenting stress had higher couples satisfaction and dyadic coping. Finally, parents of children with less severe challenging behaviors exhibited fewer mental health challenges, less parenting stress, and higher levels of both couples satisfaction and dyadic coping. Parents of children with higher levels of adaptive behavior also reported less parenting stress and higher couples satisfaction. Conclusion: Overall, this study provides evidence that families of children with FXS need access to services that not only target improvements in the child's functioning, but also ameliorate parental stress. Family-based services that include both mothers and fathers would lead to better outcomes for all family members.

Challenges of having a loving partner: the views of adults with intellectual disabilities.

BACKGROUND: Making decisions about feelings and relationships is a challenge for many people with intellectual disabilities (ID). The aim of this article is to explore their opinions regarding the difficulties they experience in relation to having a partner and living together. METHOD: Nine advisers with ID with experience in inclusive research discussed issues about having a loving partner during 8 meetings. Discussions were recorded, and a thematic content analysis was conducted. RESULTS: The results show that the network of social relationships, control over one's own intimate relationships, obtaining the right support and having training in couple relationships are key elements in people with ID having a satisfying couple relationship. CONCLUSIONS: The research gives visibility to the difficulties that people with ID encounter in having intimate couple relationships and sheds light on the need to undertake actions that contribute to their right to intimate citizenship.

Concurrent randomized control trials of the 1-year efficacy of two couple relationship education programs: ELEVATE and Couples Connecting Mindfully.

A long-standing university-community partnership used a longitudinal randomized control trial to implement and evaluate two couple relationship education (CRE) curricula, ELEVATE and Couples Connecting Mindfully (CCM), among an economically and racially diverse population of adult couples. Married and non-married couples (n = 929 couples) completed baseline surveys and were randomly assigned to either one of the two program groups or to the control group by implementation site. Follow-up surveys were collected at 2 months, 6 months, and 1 year after baseline. Using an intent-to-treat approach, growth curve modeling comparisons of trajectories indicated program effects at 1 year post-baseline in key outcome areas. Both the ELEVATE and the CCM group reported significant gains in couple relationship skills, couple quality, and family harmony over time compared to the control group that experienced either no change or declines. Further, the ELEVATE group also demonstrated positive program effects on measures of mental health and sleep quality. An assessment of the central premise of CRE indicated that the immediate post-program improvements in couple relationship skills predicted later couple quality for both program groups. This study indicates that both ELEVATE and CCM can be considered evidence-based CRE programs for use with a broad population of couples.

Una asociación duradera entre la universidad y la comunidad utilizó un ensayo controlado aleatorizado y longitudinal para implementar y evaluar dos currículos de educación sobre las relaciones de pareja, ELEVATE y Couples Connecting Mindfully (CCM), entre una población de parejas adultas económicamente y racialmente diversa. Parejas casadas y no casadas (n = 929 parejas) contestaron encuestas en el momento basal, y luego, en el lugar de implementación, se las distribuyó aleatoriamente a alguno de los dos grupos del programa o al grupo de referencia. Se recogieron encuestas de seguimiento dos meses, seis meses y un año después del momento basal. Utilizando un método por intención de tratar, las comparaciones de trayectorias del modelo de curva del crecimiento indicaron efectos del programa un año después del momento basal en áreas de resultado claves. Tanto el grupo de ELEVATE como el de CCM informaron beneficios significativos en las habilidades para las relaciones de pareja, la calidad de la pareja y la armonía familiar con el tiempo en comparación con el grupo de referencia, que no tuvo ningún cambio ni empeoramientos. Además, el grupo de ELEVATE también demostró efectos del programa en las medidas de salud mental y calidad del sueño. Una evaluación de la premisa fundamental de la educación sobre las relaciones de pareja indicó que las mejoras inmediatas después del programa en las habilidades para las relaciones de pareja predijeron una posterior calidad de la pareja para ambos grupos del programa. Este estudio indica que tanto ELEVATE como CCM pueden considerarse programas factuales de educación sobre las relaciones de pareja aptos para su uso con una amplia población de parejas.

Risk and resilience in couple's adjustment to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic's global scope and resulting social distancing measures have caused unprecedented economic, lifestyle, and social impacts to personal and relationship well-being. While lockdowns have prompted individuals to increase reliance on intimate partners for support, stressful external contexts can also interfere with partners' capacity to request and provide support, resulting in relationship dissatisfaction and even dissolution. Guided by a risk and resilience framework, this study examined the impact of perceived stress, social contextual factors, and dyadic coping on self-reported relationship satisfaction changes during the initial United States COVID-19 lockdown period. Participants were adults in romantic relationships who completed an online survey between April 13 and June 8, 2020. Overall, survey respondents (N = 1106) reported higher perceived stress levels than established population norms, and small but significant decrements in relationship satisfaction. Multivariable models revealed that higher perceived stress levels were associated with lower relationship satisfaction levels. Additionally, dyadic coping was found to moderate the impact of perceived stress on relationship satisfaction (B = .05, 95% CI = .02- .07), suggesting that engaging in dyadic coping buffered individuals from adverse effects of perceived stress on their relationships. Findings emphasize heightened stress experienced by individuals during the pandemic, potential detrimental effects of stress on couple relationships, and suggest dyadic coping may help buffer couples from adverse effects of the pandemic on their relationships. As such, dyadic coping may be an important target for future interventions designed to assist couples during the ongoing pandemic and future pandemics/natural disasters.