Young Adults’ Relationship Happiness in England During COVID-19

Abstract Given the relevance of romantic relationships for physical and mental health, it is important to be attentive to how younger adults may have experienced COVID-19 and to explicitly differentiate between being in a romantic relationship and living arrangements (i.e. co-residing or not with the partner). Yet most research during the pandemic has focused on older adults, families, or cohabiting partners. This work investigates relationship happiness among 30-year-olds living with or apart from their partner during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in England. Using Next Steps, a nationally representative longitudinal study in England, we investigate the role of living arrangements on relationship happiness in 2020–2021 among 2338 30/31-year-olds. Levels of relationship happiness were lowest among those not living together throughout the pandemic, whereas there was no difference between those who were already living together before COVID-19 and those who moved in together during this period. The findings illustrate the importance of not conflating romantic relationships with co-residence to understand levels of relationship happiness among young adults and the role of romantic relationships for physical and mental health. Research and policy should attend to how younger adults were differentially affected by the pandemic lockdown measures.