Same-gender couples have higher-quality interactions with one another than heterosexual couples in Southern California, a new study finds. The study also holds that couples with two men have the smallest social networks.

The study also holds that couples with two men have the smallest social networks.

Researcher Megan Robbins says the recently published study is the first to compare same- and different-sex couples’ social networks and daily interactions with one another.

Past research shows that same-gender couples enjoy strengths including appreciation of individual differences, positive emotions, and effective communication. But research hasn’t compared the quality of their daily interactions — inside and outside the couple dynamic — to those of heterosexual couples.

«The comparison is important because there is so much research linking the quality of romantic relationships and other social ties to health and well-being, yet it is unclear if this applies similarly or differently to people in same-gender romantic relationships because they have been historically excluded from past research.,» said Robbins, who is an associate professor of psychology at UCR. Reasons for potential differences include the stigma sexual minorities face, and also their resilience.

For the study, Robbins and her team recruited same-gender and different-gender couples throughout Southern California. The couples had to be in a married or «married-like» committed relationship; living together for at least a year; and have no physical or mental health conditions that impeded their daily functioning.

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Materials provided by University of California — Riverside. Original written by J.D. Warren. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.