Posted on Apr 07, 2014

Annoyed that your partner can’t take his eyes off of his Twitter feed? A new study says that your feelings of resentment can lead to a break up.

A student at the University of Missouri School of Journalism found that those who regularly use Twitter are more likely to experience conflict—and eventual collapse—of their relationships. The arguments begin with Twitter-related conflict, but can lead to other negative developments such as infidelity and separation.

The study relied on surveys completed by 581 Twitter users. Participants were asked questions about their frequency of use, Twitter habits, and how often their use was a direct source of conflict for current or former partners. The more they used the popular social media platform, the likelier the respondents were to suffer Twitter-related problems within the relationship. Many of which then caused further serious relationship issues.

Study author Russell Clayton found similar results in a past examination of Facebook use and relationship dynamics. In that study, Clayton found that relationship disturbances were more likely to affect couples who had been in relationships for three years or less. However, negative outcomes using Twitter were not affected by the length of the relationship.

There are a number of reasons social media usage can lead to intimacy issues. Conversations with ex-partners may spark arguments. Talking to another potential partner may lead to emotional or physical cheating. Simply too much time spent online can take away from time spent with your partner.

Couples who are worried that using Facebook and Twitter could lead to divorce have plenty of options available to keep the problem in hand. Some have opted to share a joint social networking account for both members of a couple, both to reduce potential drama and to avoid overlap when making plans with friends. Tech-savvy partners can take comfort in several applications that can limit time online and encourage daily communication within the couple.

Is your social media usage a warning signal for a King County divorce? Read the related links on this page to find out if you could be in trouble.

Molly B. Kenny
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Divorce and Child Custody Attorney Serving Bellevue and Seattle Washington