Have you ever been in a relationship and wished you had psychic abilities to predict the outcome? Have you ever searched the internet or prayed to God, wondering how long your relationship will last?

Without the use of Tarot cards or crystal balls, science has developed a method for predicting the outcome of your relationship.

According to a 2015 study published in the Journal of Marriage and Family, four types of relationship patterns can predict whether a couple will stay together.

The study was carried out by Brian Ogolsky of the University of Illinois and his colleagues, who classified couples based on changes in their commitment to marry and the reasons for these changes.

In contrast to previous individual-centered studies, this one focused on relationships in general, as well as the relationship in relation to social media.

The study included 376 unmarried couples in their mid-twenties who were tracked for nine months. Participants were asked to keep track of any significant changes in their feelings toward their spouse and were polled on a monthly basis.

The four distinct patterns that define the length of your relationship are as follows:
Spending too much time with friends, squabbling, or not having enough in common can all be detrimental to a relationship.

Meeting the significant other's family, spending a lot of time together, and having a lot in common all contributed to the decision to marry.

Is your relationship one of these types of commitment?

1. suspense
The relationship of this couple has ups and downs, with more downs than ups. They would rather spend more time apart from their partner and have negative feelings about their relationship.

Furthermore, the couple's family and friends are not as enthusiastic about the relationship.

Diagnosis: Individuals in the dramatic group are more than twice as likely as the other three categories to divorce.

2. Partner-focused

 In this type of relationship, where my spouse is the center of my universe and there are few downturns, I use the commitment strategy. Their commitment changes based on how much time they can spend together.

The partner-focused group is more likely to have their relationships evolve slowly and positively, moving organically from casual dating to committed relationships.

3. Engaged in social activities
This type of relationship changes relatively infrequently, and when it does, it is usually not in a negative way.

When changes occur, they are mostly determined by the number of social media engagements people have, as well as what their family and friends think of the connection.

Diagnosis: Because this type of relationship is so reliant on what other people think, it has a shaky foundation. It may last for a while, but they will most likely split up forever.

4.contentious
These are the couples who fight the most and have the most downturns. Surprisingly, the magnitude of the changes in the relationship isn't as dramatic, and it's largely due to disagreements.

They have lower hopes for their relationship than partner-focused couples and receive less support from the socially active group.

The conflict-ridden group, on the other hand, is more likely than the dramatic group to maintain their relationship status. Maybe the conflict is what keeps the relationship alive and passionate.

Diagnosis: While the conflict-ridden group is more likely to keep their position than the conflict-free group, they are not on solid ground. Instead of arguing with your spouse, try to help him or her.

Classification is an oversimplification that can only reveal specific patterns of connection. Most relationships do not fit neatly into one of these categories, but when they are mixed, they have a better chance of succeeding.

Finally, if your relationship is partner-focused, it has the best chance of lasting and committing to marriage and beyond. In terms of duration, socially engaged and conflict-ridden commitments are tied, while dramatic commitment is the least enduring.

Thank you for reading!