India, Feb. 4 -- When going through a tough time, all someone seeks is a bit of emotional support to ease their stress. There are many ways to express support, from verbal expressions like compassionate and reassuring words to nonverbal gestures like a hug.

A study published in the Journal of Nonverbal Behavior examined different types of emotional support to determine how they influence the emotional state of the aggrieved, especially their self-esteem and distress. The study tried to find out whether words alone, physical touch, or a combination of both are most helpful for someone going through a challenging time.

The 409 participants in the study were shown a video of a female student offering support to another student who had fail...