By Isobel Williams via SWNS
A new app can help to save your relationship and prevent couples from drifting apart, experts say.
Researchers found that eight out of 10 of users of this new app reported improved and healthier relationships after one month.
The app, called Agapé, Greek for love, sends registered couples a daily prompt question that is aimed at starting meaningful conversations.
One of the creators was Khadesha Okwudili, a former student at the University of Rochester, New York, who was inspired to create the app after she was diagnosed with a life-threatening heart arrhythmia disorder.
This life-threatening illness encouraged her to ask more meaningful questions of the people she loved.
She said: “I wasn’t sure how much time I would have left with them.
“Over time, I realized that although my health was deteriorating, my relationships started thriving in a way that they hadn’t before.”
Some examples of the daily prompts sent are “What’s something that your partner did in the past week that made you laugh?” or “Describe a time you were thankful to have your partner by your side”.
Once both partners have answered the prompt, they can see each other’s responses, possibly sparking a meaningful conversation.
The creators tested over 4,000 prompts over four years to get the perfect choices.
To test the effectiveness of their app, the researchers recruited 405 romantic couples whose app usage was tracked for a month.
The results, published in the Journal of Family, showed that 80 percent of these participants reported improved romantic relationships, including a decrease in perceived negative relationship qualities, and an increase in relationship satisfaction and dedication.
Seventy percent saw improvements in their own well-being, such as reporting higher vitality and a better quality of life, concurrent with a noticeable drop in depressive symptoms.
Finally, 93 percent said the app was enjoyable, and 74 percent said it was easy to use, which the researchers hope will increase the likelihood of regular use.
Co-creator and associate professor Ronald Rogge said: “Our primary goal was to create an app that couples would intrinsically enjoy using, which would naturally grow in popularity, and thereby organically extend its reach.
“Using the app with more people in your life is likely to have even stronger individual benefits because we know that connecting with others is a fundamental psychological need.”
Half of all marriages in the United States are likely to fail by the time the spouses reach their 50s. The creators hope their app will help change this statistic.
