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How often do you text your partner? If most of your communication is done through tapping your thumbs- there may soon be no relationship.

Relationship experts said that couples shouldn't let their thumbs do the talking when it comes to serious conversations, disagreements or apologies.

Researchers from Brigham Young University studied 276 young adults around the country and found that being constantly connected through technology can actually create space in committed relationships.

The findings revealed that using text message to apologize, work out differences or make decisions is associated with lower relationship quality for women. However, excessively frequent texting is associated with lower relationship quality for men.

However, the study texting can also enhance a relationship. Researchers found that expressing affection via text boosts relationship for men and women.

"Technology is more important to relationship formation than it was previously," researcher Lori Schade said in a news release. "The way couples text is having an effect on the relationship as well."

The study revealed that 82 percent of couples traded text messages multiple times a day. Many couples in the study used texting for "relationship maintenance," or conversations that help couples get on the same page. While these conversations are actually beneficial, researchers said that texting them actually gets in the way and makes things worse.

"Reaction to disappointment and reality testing occurs more quickly face to face," researcher Jonathan Sandberg said in a news release. "There is a narrowness with texting and you don't get to see the breadth of a person that you need to see."

Researchers found that men get tired of receiving texts and feel worse about the relationship when they send a lot of texts themselves.

"We're wondering if this means men disconnect and replace in-person conversations with more texting," Schade said. "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."

However, researchers noted that texting something sweet boosts relationship satisfaction for both men and women. What's more, sending a romantic text was even more strongly related to relationship satisfaction than receiving one.

The findings are published in the Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy.