New study says marriage length could be determined by genes

You have tried everything from therapy to weekends away and yet somehow your marriage still ended up on the rocks. It may not be your fault as scientists are now saying they have found the gene that may lead to a successful marriage.

A new study at Yale University has concluded the length of time you stay with your spouse may depend on the version of the gene responsible for producing oxytocin – dubbed the ‘love hormone’.

Lead author Joan Monin, associate professor at the Yale School of Public Health, and her team studied 178 married couples ranging in age from 37 to 90 years old. Participants were asked to complete a survey based around their feelings of marital security and satisfaction, while also providing a saliva sample for genotyping.

The team concluded that when at least one partner had a genetic variation known as the GG genotype within the oxytocin gene receptor, the couple reported significantly greater marital satisfaction and feelings of security within their marriage. Those couples had greater satisfaction compared with other couples who had different genotypes.

“This study shows that how we feel in our close relationships is influenced by more than just our shared experiences with our partners over time,” said Monin. “In marriage, people are also influenced by their own and their partner’s genetic predispositions.”

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