Purpose Statement of the Relationship Checkup Assessment:

Version: October 6, 2014

I understand that these questionnaires have been designed to obtain a general assessment and profile of a couple’s relationship rather than to provide a global satisfaction or happiness score. I recognize that this assessment will not predict whether a couple will stay together or divorce but instead, The Relationship Checkup Assessment can be used to determine areas that are strengths or challenges for a couple and provide useful suggestions for treatment.

Scoring:

I am aware that each assessment may be scored and interpreted differently. A scale percentage has been determined for each of the Sound Relationship House Measures as follows:

1. For the following tests, Love Maps, Fondness and Admiration, Turning Towards, Accepting Influence, Repair Attempts, Compromise, Rituals, Goals, Symbols and Meaning, Quality of Sex, Romance and Passion: A score of 60% or less indicates a need for improvement, 61-80% indicates a need for further monitoring, and greater than 81% indicates a strength for the couple with no intervention needed.
2. For Negative Sentiment Override, Harsh Startup, Gridlock on Perpetual Issues, The Four Horsemen, Flooding and Emotional Disengagement and Loneliness, the following guideline is used: 20% or less = strength; 21-40% = needs monitoring; greater than 41% = needs improvement.
3. For Trust and Commitment: 50% or less = needs improvement; 51% or more = strength.
4. For the 12 areas Scales and for Chaos, a guideline for interpreting scores is 20% or less = strength, 21-40% = marginal, needs further assessment; 41% or greater = needs improvement.
5. For Meta-Emotion scores: 20% or less = not emotion dismissing, 21% or more = emotion dismissing.
6. For Family History scores: 15% or less = Positive Family History; 16% or more = needs further assessment but likely indication of some challenging family history issues.
7. The SCL-90 has specific scoring instructions that take the raw score and divide by the number of questions to obtain an adjusted mean score. Each topic has a clinical cutoff score that indicates clinical significance. Clinical cut off scores are as follows: Somatization (1.23), Obsessive-Compulsive (1.18), Interpersonal Sensitivity (.96), Depression (1.5), Anxiety (1.24), Hostility (.83), Phobic Anxiety (.69), Paranoid Ideation (1.32), and Psychoticism (.76)
8. Cage Questionnaire: greater than 50% yes answers = positive risk and need for further evaluation.
9. B-MAST: 0-3 = no problems, 4 suggestive of alcoholism, greater than 5 = alcoholism.
10. Locke Wallace: Scoring less than 85 requires further exploration.
11. Weiss-Ceretto: Scoring greater than 4 requires further exploration.

Reliability & Validity: I am aware that for specific information on these measures, I can review the document called “Reliability and Validity of the Gottman Sound Relationship House Scales” on www.JohnGottman.net

HIPAA Statement: I understand that at the beginning of therapy, U.S. Federal HIPAA law requires that an independently practicing clinician present each client with a notice of privacy policies. I have been informed that it is the responsibility of each clinician using this site for assessment purposes to provide such a document to their clients as well as to obtain consent for use of unencrypted email as a source of communication. Because the link to this assessment tool is sent to the client using an email address, this consent should be obtained prior to the link to the checkup assessment being provided. The Gottman Relationship Checkup Website has been developed to be compliant with HIPAA regulations. The site uses 256-bit SSL encryption to secure the connection. No personally identifiable health information is transmitted via email. The software that the site runs on is actively monitored and kept up to date with prompt application of the latest security patches stored in a cloud. Clinicians are responsible for obtaining client consent from individuals authorizing the use of the client’s personal email as a source of communication.

Training: By using this assessment tool, I agree that I have completed the clinical training necessary to provide accurate, ethical relationship counseling to couples. The Gottman Institute provides comprehensive trainings to professionals from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines. Information about training resources can be found at https://www.gottman.com/professionals/training/.

Clinician feedback: We welcome your feedback and would love to hear from you! If you have additional questions about the Relationship Checkup Assessment Tool or other Gottman Institute services, please contact customerservice@gottman.com.

Terms of Service and Use Agreement

This web page represents a legal document and is the Terms of Service and Use Agreement ("Agreement") for our website, Gottman Relationship Checkup ("Website"), as owned and operated by The Gottman Institute. By using our Website, you agree to fully comply with and be bound by the following Agreement each time you use our Website. Please review the following terms carefully.

1. Definitions.

"Gottman Relationship Checkup" is an interactive on-line service operated by The Gottman Institute, Inc., consisting of information services and content provided by The Gottman Institute, affiliates of Gottman Relationship Checkup and other third parties. "User" means each person who accesses Gottman Relationship Checkup for access to and use of Gottman Relationship Checkup information.

2. General.

(A) Gottman Relationship Checkup is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, treatment, medical treatment, psychotherapy, counseling, or mental health services. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding any mental health symptom or medical condition. Never disregard professional psychological or medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on Gottman Relationship Checkup. If you are feeling suicidal or having suicidal thoughts, or are the victim of abuse or any type of domestic violence, please call 911 immediately.

(B) The Gottman Institute does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on Gottman Relationship Checkup. Sole reliance on any information provided by Gottman Relationship Checkup, The Gottman Institute employees, others appearing on Gottman Relationship Checkup at the invitation of The Gottman Institute, or other visitors to Gottman Relationship Checkup is at your own risk.

(C) The Gottman Institute provides the Gottman Relationship Checkup as a service for those interested in working with mental health care providers (clinicians, therapists, counselors, marriage and family therapists, social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, etc.).

(D) The Gottman Institute cannot and does not provide any warranties related to the information contained in or resulting services from any of the mental health care providers (clinicians, therapists, counselors, psychologists, social-workers, marriage and family therapists, and other health providers). Information accessed through the Gottman Relationship Checkup is provided "AS IS" and without any warranty.

(E) The Gottman Institute does not warrant the competence of any mental health care provider. The Gottman Institute does not warrant that the mental health care providers are currently or properly licensed. Please contact your State Professional Licensing Board to verify the licensure of a provider. In no event shall The Gottman Institute be liable for damages to any user of the Gottman Relationship Checkup.

(F) The Gottman Institute shall have the right at any time to change or discontinue any aspect or feature of Gottman Relationship Checkup, including, but not limited to, content, hours of availability, and equipment needed for access or use.

(G) This Agreement, which incorporates by reference other provisions applicable to use of Gottman Relationship Checkup, sets forth the terms and conditions that apply to the use of Gottman Relationship Checkup. By using Gottman Relationship Checkup, Client agrees to comply with all of the terms and conditions hereof. The right to use Gottman Relationship Checkup is personal to User and is not transferable to any person or entity.

3. Changed Terms.

The Gottman Institute shall have the right at any time to change or modify the terms and conditions applicable to use of Gottman Relationship Checkup, or any part thereof, or to impose new conditions, including, but not limited to, adding or increasing fees and charges for use. Such changes, modifications, additions or deletions shall be effective immediately upon notice, which may be given by any means including, but not limited to, posting on Gottman Relationship Checkup, or by electronic or conventional mail, or by any other means by which User obtains notice thereof. Any use of Gottman Relationship Checkup by User after such notice shall be deemed to constitute acceptance by User of such changes, modifications or additions.

4. Disclaimer of Warranty; Limitation of Liability.

(A) USER EXPRESSLY AGREES THAT USE OF GOTTMAN RELATIONSHIP CHECKUP IS AT USER'S SOLE RISK. Neither The Gottman Institute, its affiliates nor any of their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, third party content providers or licensers warrant that Gottman Relationship Checkup will be uninterrupted or error free; nor do they make any warranty as to the results that may be obtained from use of Gottman Relationship Checkup, or as to the accuracy, reliability or content of any information, or service provided through Gottman Relationship Checkup.

(B) Gottman Relationship Checkup is provided on an "as is" basis without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including, but not limited to, warranties of title or implied warranties for a particular purpose, other than those warranties which are implied by and incapable of exclusion, restriction or modification under the laws applicable to this agreement.

(C) Client specifically acknowledges that The Gottman Institute is not liable for the defamatory, offensive or illegal conduct of other Users or third-parties and that the risk of injury from the foregoing rests entirely with User.

(D) In no event will The Gottman Institute, or any person or entity involved in creating, producing or distributing Gottman Relationship Checkup or the Gottman Relationship Checkup software, be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, direct, indirect, incidental, special, and consequential or punitive damages arising out of the use of or inability to use Gottman Relationship Checkup. Client hereby acknowledges that the provisions of this section shall apply to all content on Gottman Relationship Checkup.

(E) in addition to the foregoing, neither The Gottman Institute, nor its affiliates, information providers or content partners shall be liable for any errors, inaccuracies, omissions, or other defects in, or untimeliness or unauthenticity of, the information contained within Gottman Relationship Checkup, or for any delay or interruption in the transmission thereof to the user, or for any claims or losses arising therefrom or occasioned thereby.

5. Indemnification.

User agrees to indemnify and hold harmless The Gottman Institute, its affiliates and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents from and against all claims and expenses, including attorneys' fees, arising out of the use of Gottman Relationship Checkup by User.

6. Trademarks.

Gottman Relationship Checkup and each of their logos are trademarks and/or the sole property of The Gottman Institute. All rights are reserved. All other trademarks appearing on Gottman Relationship Checkup are the property of their respective owners. Your use of our Website or Service does not grant you right or license to use any logos or trademarks as found herein.

7. Third Party Content.

In some cases, Gottman Relationship Checkup is a distributor (and not a publisher) of content supplied by third parties. Accordingly, there are some cases in which Gottman Relationship Checkup has no more editorial control over such content than does a public library, bookstore, or newsstand. Any opinions, advice, statements, services, offers, or other information or content expressed or made available by third parties, including information providers, or any other user of Gottman Relationship Checkup, are those of the respective author(s) or distributor(s) and not of The Gottman Institute.

Under no circumstances will The Gottman Institute be liable for any loss or damage caused by a User’s reliance on information obtained through Gottman Relationship Checkup. It is the responsibility of User to evaluate the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any information, opinion, advice or other content available through Gottman Relationship Checkup. Please seek the advice of professionals, as appropriate, regarding the evaluation of any specific information, opinion, advice or other content.

8. Children's Privacy.

Gottman Relationship Checkup is not intended or designed to attract persons under the age of 18. We do not collect information from any person we actually know is under the age of 18.

9. Miscellaneous.

This Agreement, our Website, and our Service are governed be the laws of the State of Washington, without regard to its conflict of law principles. The City of Seattle, in which The Gottman Institute is located, shall be the forum for any legal action relating to our Website, Content, or Service. Should any part of this Agreement be held invalid or unenforceable, that portion shall be construed consistent with applicable law and the remaining portions shall remain in full force and effect. To the extent that any Content is in conflict or inconsistent with this Agreement, this Agreement of Service shall take precedence. The failure of The Gottman Institute to enforce any provision or right as found in this Agreement will not constitute a waiver of such provision or right. The use of section headings in this Agreement is merely for convenience and in no way limits or defines how this Agreement should be construed. This Agreement and any operating rules for Gottman Relationship Checkup constitute the entire agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, and supersede all previous written or oral agreements between the parties with respect to such subject matter.