8. Family and Partnership

Authors

Danijela Lahe
University of Maribor, Faculty of Arts
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7595-4077
Andrej Naterer
University of Maribor, Faculty of Arts
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5947-8808
DOI: https://doi.org/10.18690/um.ff.7.2025.8

Synopsis

This chapter examines how the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped family relationships, partnerships, and youth well-being in Croatia and Slovenia. The findings reveal that family ties acted both as a protective buffer and a source of strain. Slovenian youth reported significant declines in satisfaction with family life and parent-child relationships, likely linked to strict lockdowns, economic pressures, and rising individualism. In contrast, Croatian youth demonstrated greater relational stability, reflecting strong familial norms and resilience reinforced during concurrent crises. Friendships weakened in both countries, particularly in Slovenia, while romantic partnerships proved comparatively stable, with evidence of accelerated cohabitation among Croatian youth. Across both contexts, mothers and family networks remained the dominant influence on young people’s key decisions. Mental health, however, emerged as the most negatively affected domain. Policy implications stress the need for targeted family support, expanded youth mental health services, and programmes that rebuild peer connections and address evolving aspirations for family life.

Author Biographies

Danijela Lahe, University of Maribor, Faculty of Arts

Dr. Danijela Lahe, je docentka na Oddelku za sociologijo Filozofske fakultete Univerze v Mariboru in raziskovalka na Centru za proučevanje postsocialističnih družb (CePSS). Njeno raziskovalno delo se osredotoča na družinsko dinamiko, življenjske sloge, izobraževanje in socialno gerontologijo, s posebnim poudarkom na kvantitativnih raziskovalnih metodah. Aktivno prispeva k razvoju socioloških raziskav in pedagoškega dela ter združuje metodološko natančnost z uporabnimi pristopi. V svojih raziskavah obravnava sodobne družbene izzive, povezane z demografskimi spremembami, staranjem in preobrazbami družine v postsocialističnih družbah, s čimer bogati nacionalne in mednarodne akademske razprave v sociologiji.

Maribor, Slovenia. E-mail: danijela.lahe@um.si

Andrej Naterer, University of Maribor, Faculty of Arts

Dr. Andrej Naterer, is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at the Department of Sociology, University of Maribor. His research focuses on children and youth, youth deviance and delinquency, and small-scale communities. He has participated in over 20 projects as a manager, researcher, or consultant. His work primarily employs qualitative methods, content analysis, and anthropological approaches. He is the author of numerous scientific books and articles and editor of the Subcultures series. He is a researcher at the Centre for the Study of Post-Socialist Societies (CePSS) and a member of several professional associations and international editorial boards.

Maribor, Slovenia. E-mail: andrej.naterer@um.si

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Volume

Two Countries, One Crisis: The YO-VID22 Pandemic Study

Pages

185-210

Published

September 3, 2025

Categories

Copyright (c) 2025 University of Maribor, University of Maribor Press

License

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Lahe, D., & Naterer, A. (2025). 8. Family and Partnership. In A. Naterer & D. Potočnik (Eds.), Two Countries, One Crisis: The YO-VID22 Pandemic Study (pp. 185-210). University of Maribor Press. https://doi.org/10.18690/um.ff.7.2025.8