COVID-19 and its Impact on Sexual Behaviors and Couple Relationship: An Explorative Study on Italian Sample

Introduction: The introduction of lockdown restrictions due to COVID-19 provided an important challenge for interpersonal relationships. Research about its impact on individuals’ sexual life and romantic relationships’ quality has shown inconsistent results. The aim of the present study was to investigate factors that affected the quality of romantic relationships and sexual life during the first month of national COVID-19 lockdown. Methods: Six hundred eighty-nine quarantined adults (74.9% females) completed an online survey in the first months of 2020 that included sociodemographic information and ad hoc items investigating relationships’ quality, changes in sexual behaviors and desire, sexual fantasies, autoeroticism, along with standardized measures about mental health and sexual desire. Results: Age as a covariate showed a main effect on the quality of romantic relationships during the quarantine. Older people assessed more positively the quality of their romantic relationship, while in younger people severe levels of depression predicted a decrease in the quality of romantic relationships. Moreover, 40% of the participants reported changes in their sexual life with a significant prevalence of negative themes, over improvement. These changes were significantly associated with anxiety and depression symptoms. Conclusions: The breakdown triggered by pandemic-enforced lockdown may have exacerbated relational and sexual problems and, to a lesser extent, led to creative rearrangements in romantic relationships between partnered individuals. Policy Implications: Policy Implications It is fundamental to analyze psychological habits related to individual and couple sexuality to enhance both physical and psychological well-being.