In 2005, American scientists from Ohio State University conducted a study. They found that stress
How was the first study?
Researchers studied the groupof 42 married couples who had lived together for an average of at least 12 years. The couple were hospitalized at the University General Clinical Research Center for two 24-hour visits two months apart.
During each visit and to my husband,and the wife was fitted with a small device that created eight tiny, uniform blisters on her hands. The skin was removed from each blister and another device was placed directly over each small wound. It formed a protective bubble, from which the researchers extracted the fluids that usually fill such blisters.
Мужья и жены заполняли анкеты, чтобы measure their stress levels at the beginning of the experiment. Each person was also fitted with a catheter through which the researchers collected blood for subsequent analysis.
During the first visit of each spouseasked to talk for a few minutes about characteristics or behavior of the spouse that he or she would like to change. It was a supportive, positive discussion. But during the second visit, the scientists asked them to talk about the disagreements in the couple that caused them the most negative emotions.
A married couple after an accident. Photo: en.freepik.com
Both discussions were recorded on video.The recordings were used to measure the level of hostility between spouses. Fluid accumulating in individual wound sites and peripheral blood samples were also taken from each participant.
When the researchers analyzed the data, the results showed the following:
— Wounds after a quarrel took a day longer to heal than after the first supportive discussion of problems.
“Couples who were high in hostility took two days longer to heal than couples who were low in hostility.”
What did the authors of the new analysis find out?
The authors of the new analysis revised a 2005 study from Ohio State University.A fresh look at the data showed that when married couples usually communicate with each other in a negative way, both spouses — and women in particular — suffer emotionally, and their immune function weakens.The analysis found that the health effects of negative communication patterns were evident even before the 2005 study began: These couples arrived in the lab with higher markers of inflammation in the blood.
A 2005 study found that a single stress spore — in the lab, recorded and analyzed by researchers — canThe authors of the new analysis believe that more aggressive arguments in the lab were associated with more negative typical marital communication for these couples.These everyday patterns are "responsible" for persistent negative emotions and biological markers that lead toto a general deterioration in health.
"Chronically dysfunctional marriages worsen health," the scientists write." Daily negativity, as well as especially intense quarrels, as well as their combination, have a bad effect on emotions, relationships and the functioning of immunity in a couple," they explainScientists.
Simulation and results
The authors of the new study conducted statistical modeling of qualitative and biological data.It showed that the couples ' negative communication patterns — in particular, mutual avoidance, a large number of demands, and emotional withdrawal — had a cascading effect on their well-being after conversations in the laboratory, as well as on their measures of inflammation and immune function.
Married couple. Photo: en.freepik.com
Several concrete results showed how insidious the consequences of poor communication patterns can be: wounds healed more slowly in couples who mutually avoided talking about sensitive topics, and also showed less positive behavior during laboratory discussions.Even when spouses, who usually shy away from discussing difficult relationship issues, were more positive in resolving conflict, it didn't help their wounds heal faster.
Is there any hope?
Despite the results, the study authors do not believe that couples who have relationship problems are doomed.But recovery in all senses requires a lot of work and strength. There are many possibilities, such as family therapy, that can help improve communication skills.But if wives and husbands are not ready to discuss problems, work on themselves, or simply cannot exist together, it may be better to divorce in order to "survive".
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