Photo: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures. Relationship troubles? Throw on a romantic comedy! New York magazine reported on a study from the University or Rochester that suggests simply watching and chatting about a rom-com can be as effective as couples therapy. Even more, it may help reduce the divorce rate among newlyweds. To get to this conclusion, researchers assigned 174 newly married couples to either a conflict-management program, compassion training, or a movie-and-talk sesh for a three-month period. While all methods reduced the divorce rate of the control group (24% versus 11), the movie and discussion option took less time and could be done in the comfort of one's own home — popcorn optional.
So, why exactly is this simple solution so effective? According to researcher Ronald Rogge, folks know what they need to do to fix their relationship problems. They just need an excuse — like a film — to hash everything out. So, if your love is on the rocks, it's time to throw on When Harry Met Sally, stat. (New York Magazine)