(Image source from: MensXP.com)

When our loved one is going through a stressful time, we sometimes tend to start talking about more negativity making them feel more traumatic. If you are doing that with your partner, then you have to put a stop to that behavior right away.

A recent study from Baylor University has found that in times of stress, it is best to say nothing at all. During the stressful period it is better to hold off on criticism, negativity, and abandonment than it is to try to be encouraging and positive, the study claims.

The study's author, Dr. Keith Sanford is a professor of psychology and neuroscience and explains his findings from the study in a statement, “When people face stressful life events, they are especially sensitive to negative behavior in their relationships, such as when a partner seems to be argumentative, overly emotional, withdrawn or fails to do something that was expected. In contrast, they’re less sensitive to positive behavior - such as giving each other comfort.”

The research performed two assessments of couples experiencing stressful times. The first assessment focused on 325 couples who had experienced a stressful event in the last month - like losing a job, death in the family, bankruptcy or so. The second assessment comprised of 154 people, who were either married or living with a partner and were dealing with a major medical issue.

Both the studies participants were asked to review into the past month and jot down a few interactions in their relationships that stood out for them, also to mention their feelings about the interactions and their frequency. Some other questions asked were about their satisfaction in the relationship, quality of life and general well being.

According to the results, couples experiencing stress over medical events showed fewer instances of negative behavior towards each other. It also indicated that a couple's coping style, and how well they cope depends more on individual well-being, rather than satisfaction in the relationship.

Sanford concludes stating: “When people face stressful life events, it’s common to experience both positive and negative behavior in their relationships. When the goal is to increase feelings of well-being and lessen stress, it may be more important to decrease negative behavior than to increase positive actions.”

By Sowmya Sangam