As clinicians we seek a relationship profile that can measure the very specific strengths and challenges that our clients are facing in their relationship and in their individual lives. Dr. Gottman's lab began designing many of these assessment scales in 1980 and it has taken decades of diligent research to harness this knowledge into a streamlined assessment tool. That is the accomplishment of the Sound Relationship House Theory and other measures of The Gottman Relationship Checkup.

Before this tool was built, Dr. Gottman needed to know that The Sound Relationship House questionnaires, which are included in the Gottman Relationship Checkup, accurately measure what they purport to measure. For example, if there is a challenge in Fondness and Admiration for one partner but not the other, he needed to be confident that we would actually see less respect and more contempt in a SPAFF coding of the couple’s Conflict Interaction and/or a Buehlman Coding of the couple’s Oral History Interview. He is delighted to report that this is indeed the case. The Gottman Relationship Checkup contains several additional questionnaires, some of which are in the process of being tested and validated. Additional information about the psychometric properties of the questionnaires may be found on the psychometrics page.

This can done in four easy steps!

• Step 1: To get started, click here.
• Step 2: Complete your online profile under the “Sign Up as a Clinician” tab. When you click on “Sign Up”, your information will be sent to The Gottman Institute training team for approval.
• Step 3: After review, our training team will either ask you for additional information or send you an email with a link to purchase an assessment for a couple.
• Step 4: Once you have purchased an assessment, enter in each partner’s email address and invite them to complete the questionnaires.

No. However, training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy will enhance your ability to use The Gottman Relationship Checkup. The core Gottman Assessments are taught in the Level 1 Training. If you are interested in learning more about our professional training program, click here.

The actual time it takes for couples to complete the assessment varies based on individual response time, the complexity of relationship dynamics, and the use of optional comment areas to provide additional information about the relationship. However, on average, you can expect it will take each person one to two hours to complete the assessment.

Yes! The pace and timing for the completion of the assessment is entirely up to them. Each partner completes his or her assessment individually, and can choose whether to complete the questionnaires all in one sitting or to work on them in increments over time. If they choose to take a break, they can simply log out. Upon their return, the system will remember where they left off and resume at that point.

No. Once you invite your clients to take the Gottman Relationship Checkup, they will need to create a personal profile before beginning the assessment. Their password is specific to their information and responses. Neither partner can access the other’s information at any time unless profile information and passwords are shared. However, we strongly discourage collaboration in order to preserve the integrity and effectiveness of the questionnaire.

The intent of the assessment is that all of the questions are answered. This will allow you to receive a more comprehensive picture of their relationship and also to have the best success in your therapeutic interventions. Many questions have optional comment areas intended for clarification or explanation of responses. This will allow couples to add any important details that they would like you to have about a particular question, topic, or concern.

Immediately after the second partner completes his or her assessment, you will receive an email with a link to your password protected section of the website where the couples' completed analysis may be viewed.

For the analysis to be completed, both partners must complete the assessment.

We strongly recommend that you do not provide a printed copy of the results to couples. These assessments require sensitivity as well as clinical wisdom to use them to provide a helpful therapeutic roadmap.

Yes.

This site uses 256-bit SSL encryption to secure your connection. No personally identifiable health information is ever transmitted via email. The software the site runs on is actively monitored and kept up-to-date with prompt application of the latest security patches.

Each of the questionnaires provided in The Gottman Relationship Checkup has been created as a unique measure of the couple’s relationship. As such, many sources have been considered and the norms, reliability, and validity data can be found in Dr. Gottman’s many academic journal articles. Complete citations for the references included in the assessment can be found here.

This online tool has been adapted from the paper version and has been revised with the addition of new questionnaires custom-made for the online format. The online version provides you, the clinician, with a comprehensive assessment, automatic scoring, and a recommended comprehensive treatment plan for your clients, and saves you time and effort while also improving accuracy.