The Marriage Checkup

Personal Stress Profile

Examines each individual’s personal stress level over the last year. Stress levels are based on responses to 25 common sources of personal stress.

Communication

Measures how couples feel about the quality and quantity of communication in their relationship. It explores how they share feelings, understand, and listen to one another.

Conflict Resolution

Looks at a couple’s ability to discuss and resolve differences. It measures how effectively couples share opinions, ideas, and feelings, even during times of conflict.

Spousal Style & Habits

Measures each person’s satisfaction with the personal characteristics and habits of their spouse. It looks at each person’s relationship style and habits as expressed in their behavior.

Financial Management

Looks at having realistic financial plans and agreement in the area of finances. It explores opinions about spending habits, savings, debt, and making financial decisions.

Leisure Activities

Measures a couple’s satisfaction with the amount and quality of leisure time spent together. It looks at similarities in interests, and satisfaction with the balance of time spent together and apart.

Sexual Relationship

Measures a couple’s satisfaction with their sexual relationship and the level of affection expressed. This category also explores their interest in sex and ability to discuss sexual issues as a couple.

Family & Friends

Measures relationship satisfaction with relatives and friends. It looks at each individual’s opinions of the other’s family and friends, as well as the level of influence and/or interference experienced from these relationships.

Roles & Responsibilities

Measures satisfaction with how roles and responsibilities are handled in the relationship. More specifically, this category looks at how household chores and decision making are shared.

Spiritual Beliefs

Measures how satisfied or involved couples are with the practice and expression of spiritual beliefs in their relationship. This category looks at similarities in spiritual beliefs and whether they are a resource or a source of tension.

Forgiveness

This category measures a couple’s perception of their ability to forgive one another following a conflict, betrayal, or hurt. It looks at how well they request and grant forgiveness in their relationship.

Children & Parenting

Measures agreement on issues related to having and raising children. This category explores opinions about discipline, parenting responsibilities, and how children have impacted marriage satisfaction.

Step-Parenting Issues

Measures agreement on issues related to having and raising children in a stepfamily. This category explores opinions about discipline, parenting responsibilities, and how children have impacted marriage satisfaction.

Intergenerational Issues

Explores the challenges middle-aged couples face as they are positioned as a resource to their adult children and/or aging parents. More specifically, this category looks at how time, attention, and assistance are balanced.

Health Issues

Explores relationship challenges faced as couples grow older. More specifically, this category looks at attitudes towards having a long, healthy and active life together.