ABSTRACT
The majority of relational maintenance research has focused on behaviors enacted to maintain geographically close relationships; that is, relationships in which the partners are able to see each other, face-to-face, and most days. Distance relationships have become increasingly common. Research suggests that as many as one million people annually report being in a long-distance romantic relationship. S. Armour noted that changes in technology and the workforce have led to record numbers of commuter marriages and other types of distance relationships. Controversy exists concerning how to measure distance relationships. A geographically-close relationship is one in which partners are able to see each other, if they choose, face-to-face, most days. A long-distance relationship is one in which both partners are not able to see each other, face-to-face, most days. The coping behaviors reported are typically distinguished from maintenance behaviors in that coping behavior tend to focus on one partner, whereas maintenance behaviors are more interactive in nature.
