According to a news release from Brigham Young University, too much texting can destroy a relationship. In fact, BYU researchers contend that couples shouldn’t have serious conversations, arguments or make apologies via text.

The researchers analyzed 276 adults and discovered the being constantly linked via technology can form some disconnects in committed relationships.

For women, they found that utilizing text messages to apologize, solve disagreements or make decisions is linked to lower relationship quality. For men, they discovered that too frequent texting is linked to lower relationship quality. However, they found that expressing love via text improves the relationship.

“Technology is more important to relationship formation than it was previously,” said Dr. Lori Schade, a recent BYU graduate, in a statement. “The way couples text is having an effect on the relationship as well.”

According to the researchers, 38 percent of the participants were in a serious relationship, 46 percent were engaged and 16 percent were married. Each participant finished a comprehensive assessment that contained queries about their utilization of technology in the relationship.

Approximately 82 percent of the participants exchanged text messages with their significant other several times a day.

The researchers discovered that many of the participants utilized texting for “relationship maintenance” conversations. Although these kinds of conversations are usually positive for relationships, conducting them via text message can actually hurt your relationship.

“Reaction to disappointment and reality testing occurs more quickly face to face,” said BYU researcher Jonathan Sandberg. “There is a narrowness with texting and you don’t get to see the breadth of a person that you need to see.”

For men, more texting doesn’t always translate to a stronger relationship; this includes sending and receiving too many texts.

“We’re wondering if this means men disconnect and replace in-person conversations with more texting,” Schade added. “Maybe as they exit the relationship, they text more frequently because that’s a safer form of communication. We don’t know why, that is just a conjecture.”

Of course, texting something nice seems to work for both men and women. According to the researchers, sending a sweet text was even more strongly linked to relationship satisfaction than getting one.

The study’s findings are described in greater detail in the Journal of Couple and Relationship Therapy.