Friendship, not sex key to long lasting romance!

A strong friendship is the secret to a long-lasting romantic relationship, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that valuing your friendship with your partner helps create relationships with more commitment, more love and greater sexual satisfaction, the Daily Mail reported.

People who put more emphasis on trying to satisfy their personal needs or desires through their relationship are less likely to sustain the bond in the longer term.

"Romantic relationships are, at their core, friendships," study's lead author Laura VanderDrift, of Purdue University in Indiana said.

"As such, it may be the case that valuing that aspect of the relationship fortifies the romantic relationship ... and serves as a buffer against breaking up.The results indicate that valuing the friendship aspect of a romantic relationship is important to relationship quality.

"It seems likely that placing greater importance on the friendship component of the relationship relative to other components (e.g. sex) may promote lasting relationships," she said.

The psychologists wrote that relationship failures can lead to negative emotions, feelings of insecurity and reduced physical health.

But they added that friendship is a "defining characteristic of love" and suggested that understanding the causes of break ups could help couples avoid that fate.

The findings are published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.

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