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Insecure people are more likely stay in unhappy relationships, a University of Waterloo study says.

Those who suffer from low self-esteem tend not to voice complaints about their relationship with their partner because they fear rejection.

"There is a perception that people with low self-esteem tend to be more negative and complain a lot more," says Megan McCarthy, the study's author. "While that may be the case in some social situations, our study suggests that in romantic relationships, the partner with low self-esteem resists addressing problems."

Fearing rejection from their partner, people with low self-esteem are hesitant to address issues in a relationship.

"We may think that staying quiet, in a 'forgive and forget' kind of way, is constructive, and certainly it can be when we feel minor annoyances," says McCarthy. "But when we have a serious issue in a relationship, failing to address those issues directly can actually be destructive."

The study was presented at The Society for Personality and Social Psychology annual meeting in California this week.