Everything flows, everything changes: The role of ambivalence in relationships and how it predicts divorce in seven years

Scientists have analyzed the relationship between ambivalence and marital satisfaction. Soul mate ambivalence refers to having both positive and negative evaluations of a person or relationship and is associated with significant stress.

The researchers involved 370 couples in the experiment, where the average age was 43 years for wives and 45 years for husbands, and the duration of marriage was 23 years. The results of the study showed that the development of ambivalence in spouses signals problems in marriage that may appear after seven years. Negative consequences were present even for those couples who decided to stay together.

These results are consistent with the theory of socio-emotional selectivity. It suggests that with age, people’s goals and views change, they become more selective, – writes Psychology Today.

Experts have previously listed eight warning signs of an unhealthy relationship. It is necessary to recognize them in time before they develop into more serious problems.