Going the Distance: Understanding the Process of Maintaining a Long-Distance Relationship in Graduate School

Abstract

Graduate studies can be one of the most stressful periods of an individual’s life, and the added stressor of being at a distance from a significant other (SO) can complicate this issue. The partner is an important source of support and understanding during this process, and they can help alleviate stressors during this transition. Graduate students are typically not the focus of the research, and neither are the positive aspects of engaging in an long-distance relationship (LDR). Thus, this study addresses: What has been the process of maintaining an LDR while entering graduate studies? Participants were selected based on heterogenous and opportunistic sampling, and included four heterosexual, female graduate students whom were engaged in an LDR. Semi-structured interviews were utilized in conjunction with an grounded theory approach to better understand the subjective experiences of initiating, transitioning into, and maintaining an LDR while one partner undertook graduate studies.

Keywords: graduate studies, grounded theory, long-distance relationship, mental health, stress