Social media are having a detrimental effect on married couples, new research has found.

As he released the annual report of the Church’s marriage preparation and counselling service, ACCORD, the body’s president, Bishop Denis Nulty, also unveiled the results of a broad-ranging study of ACCORD’s own records between 2007 and 2015, which reveals a steady increase in calls for help from couples whose relationships are suffering as a result of time spent on modern social media devices.

According to ‘Counselling Trends in Ireland North and South, An Amárach Analysis of ACCORD Data 2007 to 2015’, the greatest percentage of counselling calls to ACCORD fall into the category of Ignoring/Not Listening. Such calls have increased from 48% in 2007 to 58% in 2015. However, since 2011, ACCORD has begun to receive additional calls based on difficulties created through partners Phoning/Texting, with 16% of calls in 2007 climbing to 21% of calls in 2015.

According to ACCORD’s report, the “analysis of Accord data shows that the problems facing clients with relationship issues have changed somewhat over time, though communication difficulties remain the most prevalent”. And, while the researchers note some positive trends, such as a reduction in calls arising from financial problems, they add “but we have also seen worrying trends, such as the growing incidence of relationship problems relating to internet and mobile technologies”.

Unveiling the two ACCORD reports, Bishop Nulty described the issue of communication breakdown as a “red line issue”.

“When a couple stop talking, all they hear is the sound of silence, and this in itself is a huge contributory factor to stress and anxiety in a relationship,” he said.