How we built this
Methodology
CoupleTalk synthesizes three established frameworks into a single instrument. Here's what each contributes — and what we deliberately left out.
The three frameworks we draw from
Attachment theory (Hazan & Shaver, 1987)
Used to structure the conflict, illness, and intimacy domains. Identifies whether each of you leans secure, anxious, avoidant, or disorganized in close-relationship stress — and how those styles interact under pressure.
Gottman conflict-style typology
Drawn from 50+ years of longitudinal couples research. We use the volatile / validating / avoidant / hostile distinction to characterize how each of you handles repair after a fight, and where bidding patterns diverge.
Prepare/Enrich premarital inventory (Olson, 1980)
Used by 4M+ couples since 1980. Provides the scaffolding for the money, family, ambition, and 5-year-future domains. Scenario-based questions with high test-retest reliability.
Why AI synthesis (and not just scoring)
A scorecard alone tells you a 44 in "illness & care" — but not what to actually say at dinner tonight. The AI layer does three things a static report can't: it identifies the specific divergence between your two sets of answers, ranks gaps by predictive friction (not just lowest score), and writes the conversation prompts in your tone — not clinical language.
What we deliberately left out
- Personality typing. No Myers-Briggs, no Enneagram. We are interested in behavior under stress, not type.
- Astrology, numerology, "love languages." All entertaining; none predictive of long-term outcomes.
- A verdict. The report tells you where you're aligned and where you're not. It does not tell you what that means.
The model behind the synthesis
We use Anthropic's Claude model family. Each report is generated from the structured score set — the model never sees identifying information, and free-text answers are passed through ephemerally and discarded after generation.
What we are not
We are not therapists. We do not diagnose, treat, or replace clinical care. If your situation involves abuse, suicidal ideation, or crisis, please contact a qualified professional. The CoupleTalk report is a starting point for conversation — not a clinical instrument.