Five Signs Your Mate May Be Cheating

Why do mates stray and what are the telltale signs? A local expert has the five top signs you should look for.

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Dr. Argie Allen from Drexel University is a clinical member of the American Association of Marriage & Family Therapist.

Allen says a recent study found that men are more likely to cheat on women who make more money than them. That is because some men cheat to compensate for feeling emasculated.

"This is a way to feel like I've got the world at my footsteps as well," Allen said. "Men who make more money cheat because they can. Bill Clinton said that. 'Because I could.' They have the resources, they have the power."

Men who are unemployed or don't make much "are looking for power too," according to Allen.

"Often for those guys who are cheating, that don't make a lot of money, this is a way to feel like 'I've got the world at my footsteps as well.' " Allen pointed out this is a bad idea because these men "lose more than they gain."

Allen said it's important to keep communication going in a relationship, especially during difficult times. A lack of communication can lead to a lack of committment.

Some signs that your mate or spouse may be cheating include:

1. They accuse you of cheating, as a diversion
2. They suddenly change the screen saver on their computer
3. There is a sudden change in daily activities, like coming home late
4. They create unnecessary conflicts
5. There is a change in intimacy.

In the long run, Allen says cheaters never gain what they lose from the affair. She says communication is the the key to getting issues to the forefront.