This study employs multiple methods to examine why individuals engage in relational reconnection and how self-disclosure during the re-initiation process relates to well-being during a time of acute stress. We apply Social Penetration Theory to examine individuals’ motivation to reconnect with dormant contacts, which channels they selected, the extent to which partners engaged in various levels of self-disclosure during relational reconnection, and how self-disclosure related to psychosocial and relational outcomes. Participants ( N = 254) were recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk to answer a series of open- and closed-ended questions relating to the most important person they reconnected with during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Qualitative thematic analysis identified ten themes driving individuals to reconnect, including relational dormancy, health checks, and reminiscing. Quantitative results showed that depth and breadth of self-disclosure in reconnected relationships were each negatively related to depression and loneliness. Breadth and depth of self-disclosure were also each positively associated with anticipation of future interaction. The ability to re-engage with former social connections showed clear associations with people’s psychological and emotional well-being during the pandemic, and the findings demonstrate the central role of continued self-disclosure during relational reconnection.

中文翻译：

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伟大的重新联系：检查关系重新联系的动机并调查社会渗透作为幸福的预测因素

这项研究采用多种方法来研究个体为何进行关系重新连接，以及重新启动过程中的自我表露与急性压力时期的幸福感有何关系。我们应用社会渗透理论来研究个体与休眠联系人重新建立联系的动机、他们选择的渠道、伴侣在关系重新建立过程中进行不同程度的自我表露的程度，以及自我表露与社会心理和关系结果的关系。参与者 (N = 254) 是从 Amazon Mechanical Turk 招募来回答一系列开放式和封闭式问题，这些问题涉及他们在 COVID-19 大流行早期阶段重新联系过的最重要的人。定性主题分析确定了推动个人重新建立联系的十个主题，包括关系休眠、健康检查和回忆。定量结果表明，重新建立关系时自我表露的深度和广度均与抑郁和孤独感呈负相关。自我表露的广度和深度也与对未来互动的预期呈正相关。在大流行期间，重新建立以前的社会联系的能力与人们的心理和情感健康存在明显的关联，研究结果证明了在关系重新建立过程中持续自我表露的核心作用。