Love and Other Grades
Of the few studies that have examined the effects of romantic relationships on academic performance, most have been concerned with adolescent students. This study analyzes a data set of more than 300 students at a midsized, private University in the northeast United States to determine if participating in a romantic relationship predicts grade point average or course attendance. The results of multivariate analyses indicate that being in a romantic relationship while in college is significantly associated with class absences, but not with grade point average. Specifically, logistic regression models show that participation in a romantic relationship more than doubles the odds of failing to attend three or more class meetings per course in a semester. Practical implications of these findings include the consideration of romantic relationships among the undergraduate student body by university administrators and faculty when attempting to address course attendance concerns. Additionally, this study suggests that future researchers examine the characteristics of romantic relationships and romantic partners in order to more fully understand how such relationships might affect the academic performance of university students.