Effects of Mandatory Homeschooling During COVID-19 on Conflict in Romantic Couples

In early 2020, schools across Canada closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, requiring parents to homeschool their children. We examined the association between homeschooling and romantic conflict among couples during the COVID-19 pandemic. Canadian couples (N = 756) completed online measures, including whether they were homeschooling, hours spent homeschooling, and romantic conflict during the month of April 2020. Two hundred ten couples (27.8%) reported that they were homeschooling their children during this period, with 173 (22.9%) couples homeschooling due to the pandemic. Multilevel regressions were used to examine the association between homeschooling status and romantic conflict, and actor-partner interdependence models (APIMs) were used to examine the association between homeschooling hours and romantic conflict among homeschoolers. In our APIM analyses, significant links between hours spent homeschooling and romantic conflict were observed, even when controlling for demographic variables. We found significant actor effects, where an individual's own homeschooling hours were positively related to the conflict they enacted toward their partner, and significant partner effects, where the partner's homeschooling hours were positively related to conflict received by the individual. Among all couples, we found significant positive associations between homeschooling status (i.e., nonhomeschooler or homeschooler) and both types of romantic conflict. However, these associations were nonsignificant when controlling for demographic variables. Our findings suggest the number of hours spent in homeschooling may be an important contributor to romantic conflict between partners during the pandemic. We discuss implications for schools and governments in providing additional support for families homeschooling children during mandated school closures.

Automated summary

In early 2020, Canadian schools closed due to COVID-19, leading to parents homeschooling their children. This study examines the association between homeschooling and romantic conflict among couples. Data was collected from 756 couples, including homeschooling status, hours spent homeschooling, and romantic conflict in April 2020. The results showed that the number of hours spent homeschooling was significantly associated with romantic conflict. Actor effects and partner effects were also observed, indicating an individual's own homeschooling hours and their partner's homeschooling hours were related to conflict enacted and received. The findings suggest that homeschooling during the pandemic may contribute to romantic conflict, highlighting the importance of additional support for homeschooling families.