Young Adults’ Cohabitation and Dating Decisions During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Exploration of Romantic and Developmental Context

The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant upheaval for couples and families, particularly in terms of living arrangements. Emerging adults had to make quick decisions about where and with whom to shelter in place. In this grounded theory study, we explored how 22 young adults, predominantly living in the United States, navigated relationship decisions during the pandemic. The results suggest that participants were intentional about their choices, particularly in terms of moving in together (or not). The pandemic sometimes changed the timing of cohabitation or the pace of dating relationships; however, these decisions unfolded in tandem with common developmental tasks, such as college graduation and launching a career. More broadly, our findings suggest that participants’ responses to the pandemic both reflected core aspects of emerging adulthood (e.g., instability, feeling in-between) and also challenged them (e.g., other focus, limited exploration).