PHILIA AS FRIENDSHIP IN NICHOLAS SPARKS’ NOVEL THE LONGEST RIDE

This study is aimed at analyzing Philia as friendship in Nicholas Sparks’ novel, The Longest Ride, published in 2013. The analysis is focused on the categories of Philia as friendship covering utility, happiness, and moral done by the major characters of the novel, namely Ira Levinson, Ruth, Luke Collins, Sophian Danko. The method used to analyze this study is a descriptive qualitative method. In this study, the researchers apply the theory of philia as friendship proposed by Aristotle. Philia is one type feeling of love in the Christian and Greek traditions based on friendly relations. Other types of love that are also in Christian theology are eros, agape and storage. The results show that the categories of Philia as friendship: utility, happiness and moral are reflected and done by the major characters. Utility is seen from Ira and Ruth with strong and healthy love relationship. Happiness is seen through Ira and Ruth who always feels happy when they see each other. Moral can be seen through the trust of Ira and Ruth who always share each and everything together.

Examining the Relationships Between Fear of Coronavirus, State Anxiety, and Relationship Happiness Among Married Turkish Individuals During COVID-19

The present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of state anxiety in the relationship between the fear of COVID-19 and relationship happiness among married individuals. An additional aim of the study also tested the moderating role of joint family activities between state anxiety and relationship happiness. The study sample consisted of 1713 married individuals (1031 women and 682 men). The study findings showed both the significant direct associations among the studied variables and the mediating role of state anxiety in the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and relationship happiness. It also found that the path of state anxiety to relationship happiness among married individuals having family activities was significantly lower than those who did not. Directions for future research and application were discussed.

Positive and Negative Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Relationship Satisfaction in Male Couples

Little is known about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and control measures on gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) couples. The goal of this study was to investigate individual-level relationship satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic in a sample of 209 coupled GBMSM in the United States. We analyzed reported happiness and feelings about a relationship’s future and assessed the odds of changing relationship happiness and investment associated with pandemic-related life changes (pandemic-related employment change; COVID-19 illness; high-risk of severe illness), using logistic and multinomial logit models. Fifty-five percent of participants ( N = 114) reported that their relationship happiness had not changed during the pandemic, but 30% ( N = 62) reported increased relationship happiness. 25% ( N = 53) reported they had become more invested in their relationship’s future during the pandemic, and only one participant reported decreased investment. The odds of increased relationship investment was significantly associated with pandemic-related employment change (adjusted odds ratio (aOR), 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.19 [1.04, 4.61]) and increased sex during the pandemic (aOR: 4.38 [1.55, 12.41]). Those with a pandemic-related employment change also had significantly higher odds of increased relationship happiness than those without a change (aOR: 2.10 [1.01, 4.35]). COVID-19 cases that reported being at higher risk of serious COVID-19 disease had higher odds of decreased relationship happiness than high-risk non-cases (aOR: 6.58 [1.10, 39.39]). Additional research in this area is warranted to minimize the long-term impacts of the pandemic on coupled GBMSM.

Temporal Dimensions of Unemployment and Relationship Happiness in the United Kingdom

Here we study how unemployment is related to partner relationship happiness in the United Kingdom. We investigate multiple dimensions of unemployment—current unemployment, changes in unemployment, duration of unemployment, and past unemployment—each of which provides unique insights into how economic uncertainty can strain relationships. Not including these aspects potentially leads to an underestimation of the long-term effect of unemployment and times when couples are especially affected. Using British longitudinal data (UK Household Longitudinal Study), we employ random and fixed regression analyses. The results highlight the gendered nature of relationships and employment within British couples. As found in previous studies, unemployment, particularly men’s unemployment, is associated with unhappier relationships. However, we find that over the long-run, relationship happiness declined and did not always recover. In addition, men’s re-employment did not solve problems rising from unemployment, especially for women, who continued to be less happy with the relationship when their male partner was unemployed in the recent past. Overall, the research showed that unemployment is not only related to relationship happiness at the time of unemployment, but had a scarring effect on relationship happiness.

Impacts of Australian Firefighters’ On-Call Work Arrangements on the Sleep of Partners

On-call work arrangements are commonly utilised in the emergency services sector and are consistency associated with inadequate sleep. Despite sleep being a common shared behaviour, studies are yet to assess the impact of on-call work on the sleep of co-sleeping partners. This study aimed to investigate whether frequent 24/7 on-call work impacted the sleep and relationship happiness of firefighters’ partners. Two key research questions were investigated: (1) Does the frequency of calls impact sleep and relationship happiness? and, (2) Does the (a) sleep quantity and (b) sleep quality of partners impact perceived relationship happiness? A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire completed by partners of on-call workers (n = 66; 93% female). The questionnaire included items on (i) sleep quantity and quality, (ii) on-call sleep disturbances and, (iii) relationship happiness. Responses were analysed using logistic regression models. Higher overnight call frequency was associated with greater self-reported levels of inadequate sleep (<7 h per night; p = 0.024). Support for continuance of a firefighter’s role was less likely if the partner reported they regularly had trouble falling asleep within 30 min (p < 0.001). There were no other significant relationships between the frequency of calls or other sleep quantity or quality variables and relationship happiness. This study provides important first insights into how firefighters’ on-call work arrangements impact partners’ sleep. Future research is needed across periods of high and low call demand, using objective measures of sleep to further define the impacts of on-call work on partners’ sleep.

Religious Heterogamy and Partnership Quality in Later Life

Objectives Prior research points to the importance of couple-level religious similarity for multiple dimensions of partnership quality and stability but few studies have investigated whether this association holds for older couples. Method The current article uses dyadic data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP), a representative sample of 953 individuals age 62–91 plus their marital or cohabiting partners. We use modified actor-partner interdependence models. Results Religious service heterogamy predicted lower relationship happiness and satisfaction. Both associations were partially explained by the fact that religiously dissimilar partners report relatively little free time in joint activity. Further, religiously heterogamous couples had less frequent sex and engaged in less nonsexual touch than their more similar counterparts. Conclusions Taken together, results attest to the ongoing importance of religious similarity—service attendance, in particular—for partnership quality in late life. Future research is needed to more fully examine which mechanisms account for these patterns.