Cohabitation and Romantic Relationship Quality Among Portuguese Lesbian, Gay, and Heterosexual Individuals

David L Rodrigues,Marília Prada,Diniz Lopes

doi:10.1007/s13178-018-0343-z

David L Rodrigues, Marília Prada + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-018-0343-z

Copy DOI

Abstract

Lesbian and gay (LG) individuals are perceived as having poorer relationship functioning than heterosexual individuals, but this negative appraisal is not translated into actual relationship experiences. Indeed, relationship quality outcomes do not vary according to sexual orientation. Cohabitation status may play an important role, because it symbolizes relationship commitment and intimacy particularly for LG individuals. A cross-sectional study (N = 425, 52.9% women; Mage = 28.38, SD = 6.89) with romantically involved LG (38.4%) and heterosexual (61.6%) individuals examined the association between cohabitation and relationship quality outcomes. To isolate the role of cohabitation, cohabiting individuals were compared according to relationship legal status. Results showed that cohabiting (vs. non-cohabiting) LG individuals were more committed, invested, and satisfied, but those who legalized (vs. did not legalize) their union were only more committed. Among heterosexual individuals, no differences were observed. Furthermore, LG (vs. heterosexual) individuals were overall more committed, satisfied, and invested when cohabiting with their partner (especially in legalized unions), whereas heterosexual (vs. LG) individuals were more committed in non-cohabiting relationships. No other differences were found. This suggests that cohabitation may be used by LG individuals as a strategy to strengthen relationship quality and that legal recognition further increases relationship commitment.

Highlights

Lesbian and gay (LG) individuals are often targets of prejudice (e.g., Lopes, Oliveira, Nogueira, & Grave, 2017), which is associated with poorer mental health outcomes and wellbeing (Kertzner, 2012; Meyer, 2003)
We aim to examine to what extent relationship quality outcomes differ between LG individuals who are not cohabiting with their partner, those who are cohabiting without a legally recognized union, and those cohabiting with a legally recognized union
LG individuals develop strategies to deal with the general lack of social support, including cohabitation status

Summary

Introduction

Lesbian and gay (LG) individuals are often targets of prejudice (e.g., Lopes, Oliveira, Nogueira, & Grave, 2017), which is associated with poorer mental health outcomes and wellbeing (Kertzner, 2012; Meyer, 2003) Such prejudice has been reflected in several forms of discrimination of LG individuals throughout history (e.g., Cherlin, 2004; Costa & Davies, 2012; Lehmiller & Agnew, 2006; Nadal, Whitman, Davis, Erazo, & Davidoff, 2016; Scherpe, 2013; Schmitt, Lehmiller, & Walsh, 2007; Vaughn, Teeters, Sadler, & Cronan, 2017), including negative appraisals of same-sex relationships. In a different line of research, Rodrigues, Fasoli, Huic, and Lopes (2017) showed that heterosexual participants did not evaluate differently a same-sex or a different-sex relationship, as long as both partners were described as being committed to their relationship and sexually monogamous

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion