On the Move: Trajectories of Stressors and Rewards Among Relocating Couples

Partnered relocation-when couples move to support one partner's career-is increasingly common and involves unique stressors and rewards. In a longitudinal study of 206 couples (N = 383, 177 dyadic, 29 individual reports) surveyed 2-months pre-relocation and 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-months post-relocation, we examined how stressors and rewards change over time, comparing experiences of partners who initiate (relocators) versus support the move (accompanying partners). Using dyadic latent growth curve modeling of stressors and rewards across 12 domains (e.g., careers, social networks, living arrangements, and logistics), we found that most stressors declined, and several rewards increased over time, with some differences between relocators and accompanying partners. We also explored the role of gender, COVID timing, move distance, socioeconomic status, and relationship satisfaction as covariates of the trajectories. This study highlights how couples adapt during relocation depending on relational and contextual factors.