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Dear shrill voice in the dispute may indicate a separation
A loud, emotionally charged conflict in a partnership can indicate a speedy separation. This was demonstrated by a long-term study by the Technische Universität Braunschweig. Early prevention is of great importance. In family therapies, the quality of communication plays an important role.
Possible indications of a failure of the relationship
If conflicts in the partnership are carried out in a very emotional and high-pitched voice, this may indicate a speedy separation or divorce. At least this is true for women. In men, an elevated level of the stress hormone cortisol during marital strike may be a possible indication of impending failure of the relationship. This is the result of a recent long-term study in which scientists around Kurt Hahlweg, Professor of Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy and Diagnostics at the Technical University of Braunschweig, investigated to what extent certain parameters can predict separations. At the German Congress for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy in Potsdam, under the motto "Relationship and Health", the experts reported on the investigation.
An emotional, loud dispute in the partnership can be an indication of a speedy separation. Couples can practice dealing with conflicts. (Image: DDRockstar / fotolia.com) Predictive power of separation and divorce
According to the "Information Service Science" (idw), the researchers evaluated a number of parameters for their investigation into their predictive power of separation and divorce. These included physiological values such as blood pressure, heart rate, cortisol levels and basic voice frequency. The data were collected in the 1990s from couples who also had to complete questionnaires on their conflict and communication behavior. In addition, video recordings of disputes were made. Eleven years later, of the 68 couples, about one third (32.5 percent) had divorced. The researchers reported on their findings in the journal "Journal of Family Psychology".
Parameters that indicate emotional conflicts
According to the researchers, the basic speech frequency in women and increased cortisol secretion in men in conflict situations were the only significant predictors, ie predictors of separation or divorce. "Parameters such as basic speech frequency and cortisol secretion are important indices of emotional arousal," says Hahlweg. Increased values in these parameters indicate, according to the expert, that conflicts are emotional.
"The results confirm how important it is for the stability of a relationship that conflicts are not too emotionally charged too often." The study is said to be the first in the world to have both physiological parameters and communication behavior over such a long period of time regarding their predictive power regarding divorce and separation. Further research would need to expand these findings.
More than every third marriage fails
About 35 percent of marriages in Germany fail. "This does not only affect those directly affected and their children," said Hahlweg. "Looking at the health effects of family conflicts alone has social and economic consequences". Therefore, early prevention is of great importance. Affected couples are usually recommended a walk to the couple therapist or family therapist. In particular, the quality of communication between the family members plays a crucial role in achieving the stated goal of positive change and development of relationships with each other. In addition, rituals can help in the partnership. These can signal to the partner how important he is to you.
Partner programs are effective
An offer recommended by experts is the so-called EPL program - the "Partnership Learning Program". In it, couples train, among other things, the handling of conflicts and problem-solving communication. Professor Hahlweg has studied the success of the program together with colleagues. In the journal Behavior Research and Therapy, they reported that the likelihood of staying together is twice as high for couples who have completed the training as for couples without such training.
However, there were no significant differences in long-term couples with and without EPL experience in relationship satisfaction: between 75 and 81 percent of those whose partnerships lasted more than 20 years were satisfied with their relationship, according to the researchers among those who did not attend an EPL program. Hahlweg concluded: "Couples who have been with each other for more than 20 years are for the most part happy with each other." (Ad)