Lankan Ranger
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Men suffer more emotional pain from failed romance, report claims
Traditionally it was women who are thought to have suffered the worst from a broken heart, while thick-skinned men hid their feelings behind a stiff upper lip.
But now it seems men are more sensitive to the end of a relationship than previously thought.
Contrary to popular belief it is men who suffer more when a partnership ends, a new report has claimed.
It found that men in their early twenties find breaking up and the highs and lows of romantic relationships more traumatic than women.
This is because by that age women may already have a network of close relationships made up of friends and family in addition to a partner.
Young men, however, often lack that support. If their romantic partner is the only person that they confide in they are more emotionally vulnerable when that is taken away - even if they dont put their feelings on display.
When a relationship goes wrong it has a greater impact on younger mens identity and self-worth, sociology experts said.
Prof Melanie Bartley, a sociology professor from University College London, said: "Young women do tend to have wider relationships with friends and family by this time to rely on. Young men dont tend to confide in each other and that can make them feel isolated. Their friendship groups are more competitive than nurturing. They are just as sensitive as women but its a matter of whether they feel valued."
According to the survey, while men found rocky relationships more stressful than women they were also more likely to reap greater emotional benefits from an ongoing happy romance.
Professor Robin Simon, from Wake Forest University in North Carolina, who co-wrote the study, said: "Our paper sheds light on the association between non-marital romantic relationships and emotional well-being among men and women on the threshold of adulthood.
"Surprisingly, we found young men are more reactive to the quality of ongoing relationships."
Sociology experts have suggested that the results collected from 1,000 unmarried adults aged 18-23 could be partly influenced by the current economic crisis. If young men find it difficult to find employment then their sense of identity is more likely to be reliant on personal relationships.
Prof Bartley said: "It always used to be that women defined themselves through relationships and men validated themselves through their work. This young male group is having a very tough time now and this could perhaps mark a shift that we have been expecting to happen for the last 20 years."
The researchers concluded that young women were more affected by the whether they were in a relationship or not rather than whether it was consistently happy. When a relationship broke up women preferred to talk about their emotions with friends while men were more likely to express their feelings through drink or drugs.
Prof Simon said: "Women express emotional distress with depression while men express emotional distress with substance problems."
The report, published in the Journal of Health and Social Behaviour, was originally gathered for a long-term study of mental health and the transition to adulthood.
The Island
Traditionally it was women who are thought to have suffered the worst from a broken heart, while thick-skinned men hid their feelings behind a stiff upper lip.
But now it seems men are more sensitive to the end of a relationship than previously thought.
Contrary to popular belief it is men who suffer more when a partnership ends, a new report has claimed.
It found that men in their early twenties find breaking up and the highs and lows of romantic relationships more traumatic than women.
This is because by that age women may already have a network of close relationships made up of friends and family in addition to a partner.
Young men, however, often lack that support. If their romantic partner is the only person that they confide in they are more emotionally vulnerable when that is taken away - even if they dont put their feelings on display.
When a relationship goes wrong it has a greater impact on younger mens identity and self-worth, sociology experts said.
Prof Melanie Bartley, a sociology professor from University College London, said: "Young women do tend to have wider relationships with friends and family by this time to rely on. Young men dont tend to confide in each other and that can make them feel isolated. Their friendship groups are more competitive than nurturing. They are just as sensitive as women but its a matter of whether they feel valued."
According to the survey, while men found rocky relationships more stressful than women they were also more likely to reap greater emotional benefits from an ongoing happy romance.
Professor Robin Simon, from Wake Forest University in North Carolina, who co-wrote the study, said: "Our paper sheds light on the association between non-marital romantic relationships and emotional well-being among men and women on the threshold of adulthood.
"Surprisingly, we found young men are more reactive to the quality of ongoing relationships."
Sociology experts have suggested that the results collected from 1,000 unmarried adults aged 18-23 could be partly influenced by the current economic crisis. If young men find it difficult to find employment then their sense of identity is more likely to be reliant on personal relationships.
Prof Bartley said: "It always used to be that women defined themselves through relationships and men validated themselves through their work. This young male group is having a very tough time now and this could perhaps mark a shift that we have been expecting to happen for the last 20 years."
The researchers concluded that young women were more affected by the whether they were in a relationship or not rather than whether it was consistently happy. When a relationship broke up women preferred to talk about their emotions with friends while men were more likely to express their feelings through drink or drugs.
Prof Simon said: "Women express emotional distress with depression while men express emotional distress with substance problems."
The report, published in the Journal of Health and Social Behaviour, was originally gathered for a long-term study of mental health and the transition to adulthood.
The Island
Anyway moved to member's club.
