A smile that lifts only one side of the mouth may be the biggest warning sign leading to divorce, according to a study.

A smile that lifts only one side of the mouth may be the biggest warning sign leading to divorce, according to a study. The photo is not directly related to the article content. Getty Images

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On April 23 (local time), the New York Post reported that "Dr. John Gottman, a prominent psychologist and marriage counselor, discovered with 94% accuracy that a smile lifting only one side of the mouth is a sign of impending divorce."

Dr. Gottman published the results of a statistical analysis on marriage and divorce in the Journal of Family Psychology in 1992, and has since continued extensive research on factors that form or destroy marital relationships. Through his research, he found with 94% accuracy that when one partner smiles with only one side of the mouth, it signals an impending divorce.

They cited subtle movements such as rolling the eyes or grimacing as signals of contempt, and actions like grabbing clothes or wiping fingers while speaking.

Contempt is the most harmful emotion in relationships; feelings of disgust and contempt are like throwing matches and oil into a fire.

You should keep asking, 'What's wrong?' 'Are you okay?' 'How are you feeling right now?' to encourage the other person to express feelings of contempt and address the issue together.

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Body language expert Vanessa Van Edwards explained, "Dr. Gottman was able to predict with 93.6% accuracy whether couples would divorce when one partner smiled at the other with only one side of the mouth raised," adding, "This is because contempt can be detected in facial expressions." She went on to say, "Contempt is the most harmful emotion in a relationship," and emphasized, "If you notice signs of contempt in yourself or your partner, you must confront it directly." She also stressed, "You should keep asking, 'What's wrong?' 'Are you okay?' 'How are you feeling right now?' to encourage the other person to express feelings of contempt and address the issue together."

Clinical psychologist Dr. David M. Schnur also supported Dr. Gottman's research, saying, "Feelings of disgust and contempt in a relationship are like throwing matches and oil into a fire." He cited subtle signals of contempt, such as rolling the eyes or grimacing, as well as actions like grabbing clothes or wiping fingers while speaking. He advised, "If the situation becomes too serious, try making a joke or changing the subject to something you both enjoy. Just go outside for a walk to cool off."