TROUBLE IN PARADISE? TRY OBJECTIVE WRITING

A new study reveals how writing can help deal with pandemic-induced relationship conflicts

According to a new research from USF’s (University of South Florida) St Petersburg campus, individuals who wrote about their relationship troubles during the pandemic from the point of view of a neutral observer faced less conflict and aggression with their partners. The findings of the study were published in the journal Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice.

Led by associate professor of psychology Lindsey Rodriguez, the study surveyed 716 American adults across the US and at the height of the lockdowns. The participants were asked to fill out a baseline assessment to measure the frequency, duration and intensity of the conflicts in the relationship, followed by a brief writing exercise. Some people were asked to write about a recent disagreement in their relationship from the point of view of a neutral third party who had the couples’ best interest in mind, such as a mutual friend. They were then asked to use this perspective with their partners in the coming weeks. Others were asked to express their deepest thoughts and feelings about problems in their relationship, and the rest were to write about mundane tasks like laundry, house cleaning or lawn care.

Results showed those who wrote about disagreements from the point of view of a neutral third party had fewer disagreements as compared to the control groups. “Writing from a neutral standpoint allowed the individuals to reframe their thoughts about their disagreements, opening up a new way for people to process the event in a more objective light,” Rodriguez said.

Romantic conflict is known to have escalated during Covid-19 pandemic. A survey conducted early on in the pandemic found that 34% of participants in relationships had increased issues. Greater stress due to fear and uncertainties about jobs, health, finances and the future seeped into how partners interacted with one another.

PHOTO: ISTOCK (FOR REPRESENTATIONAL PURPOSE ONLY) While romantic conflicts escalated during the pandemic, writing about it from a neutral point of view helped many