Engaged Women’s Relationships, Weddings, and Mental Health During Covid-19

Abstract

We examined the association between mental health and relationship and wedding factors among engaged women planning their weddings before and during Covid-19. Survey data from 715 non-Covid-19 and 427 Covid-19 participants revealed that Covid-19 participants experienced depression in greater proportion than non-Covid-19 participants. Wedding satisfaction and financial strain were stronger predictors of depression for Covid-19 than non-Covid-19 participants. Other significant predictors of Covid-19 participants’ depression included social isolation, relational satisfaction and turbulence, and wedding disillusionment. Additionally, 22.0% of Covid-19 participants reported severe levels of anxiety, which was significantly predicted by social isolation, relational turbulence, wedding financial strain, wedding disillusionment, and wedding satisfaction. According to Covid-19 participants’ open-ended responses, less depressed participants liked something better about their revised wedding plans, more anxious participants could not identify positive aspects of their revised plans, and less anxious participants appreciated the perspective that came with revising wedding plans due to Covid-19.