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Marital Psychological Distance Scale

Marital Psychological Distance Scale Test

Understand how close or distant partners feel in about 13 minutes. Targeted results pinpoint friction points like boundaries, shared plans, and support to guide counseling and next steps.

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Questions: 6913 minutes

Hi! My name is Freudly, i am an AI therapist, I will give you an interpretation of the test after you complete it.

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

14,770 views

1,324 completions

1,080 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

9/19

Values Distance (VD)

Measures how closely spouses align in core life attitudes and values.

Low alignment

Moderate alignment

High alignment

0 – 6: Low alignment | 7 – 13: Moderate alignment | 14 – 19: High alignment

A score of 9 indicates moderate value alignment, suggesting some shared beliefs alongside notable differences that may influence day-to-day decisions.

example score

10/13

Social Ties Distance (STD)

This scale measures how involved spouses are in each other’s social contacts and shared social life.

Low integration

Moderate integration

High integration

0 – 4: Low integration | 5 – 9: Moderate integration | 10 – 13: High integration

A score of 10 indicates high social integration, suggesting strong openness and involvement in each other’s social ties.

example score

2/6

Daily Routine and Time-Use Habits Distance (DRaTUHD)

Measures how closely spouses’ daily routines and time-management habits align with each other.

Low alignment

Moderate alignment

High alignment

0 – 2: Low alignment | 3 – 4: Moderate alignment | 5 – 6: High alignment

A score of 2 indicates low alignment in temporal habits, suggesting notable differences in daily routines and time use that may require extra coordination.

example score

3/8

Personal Belongings Distance (PBD)

Measures how open and trusting spouses are about access to each other’s personal belongings and property.

More guarded

Some openness

Very open

0 – 2: More guarded | 3 – 5: Some openness | 6 – 8: Very open

A score of 3 suggests some openness around personal items, with noticeable boundaries still present between partners.

example score

2/10

Territorial Distance (TD)

Measures how much spouses share versus separate personal space and everyday territory within the relationship.

Separated territory

Mixed territory

Shared territory

0 – 3: Separated territory | 4 – 7: Mixed territory | 8 – 10: Shared territory

A score of 2 suggests the couple tends to keep personal space and day-to-day territory relatively separate rather than openly shared.

example score

11/13

Physical Distance (PD)

Measures the degree of physical closeness between spouses, including comfort with touch and time spent together.

Low physical closeness

Moderate physical closeness

High physical closeness

0 – 4: Low physical closeness | 5 – 9: Moderate physical closeness | 10 – 13: High physical closeness

A score of 11 falls in the High physical closeness range, suggesting strong comfort with physical intimacy and shared physical presence.

example score

8/69

Overall Closeness (OC)

Measures overall psychological intimacy and perceived harmony between spouses across key areas of the relationship.

Low closeness

Moderate closeness

High closeness

0 – 27: Low closeness | 28 – 50: Moderate closeness | 51 – 69: High closeness

A score of 8 falls in the Low closeness range, suggesting a relatively high degree of psychological distance and limited emotional connection across the measured areas.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Couples feeling emotionally distant

41%OF USERS

Partners who sense growing detachment or frequent misunderstandings take it to pinpoint where closeness has weakened.

Couples in counseling or workshops

34%OF USERS

Spouses working with a therapist or in a relationship program use it to identify specific tension areas and track progress.

Newlyweds and life-transition couples

25%OF USERS

Couples adjusting to changes like a new baby, relocation, or career stress take it to check alignment on boundaries, plans, and support.

BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.

RESULTS YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE

Scale Results
— Explained Clearly

Your scores across each test scale are translated into plain, usable insights. You won’t just get numbers — you’ll learn how your results impact your daily life, emotional state, and overall well-being.

AI-Powered
Interpretation

You’ll receive a structured, clinically-grounded explanation. Our AI analyzes patterns and relationships between scales to provide a coherent interpretation, without exaggerated language.

Statistical
Comparison

See how your results compare to others. Anonymized platform data is used to create a percentile scale, which identifies whether your results are typical.

Practical
Recommendations

You’ll receive clear, actionable guidance tailored to your profile. These easy-to-implement suggestions focus on coping, self-regulation, and realistic next steps.

AI-Powered
Insights

Get insights on behavioral and thought patterns you might not notice on your own. By uncovering subtle connections between your responses, you’ll better understand what may be driving your current results.

Discuss with
an AI Therapist

Clarify, reflect, and explore your results right away. Talk through your experience, ask questions, and explore meanings in a calm, non-diagnostic dialogue.

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Used in 52+ countries

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you complete the test, your results are compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of how scores are typically distributed across each scale.

Distance of Values (DoV)

Average

14.2

Normal range

11.5 — 17

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Social distance (Sd)

Average

7.6

Normal range

5.3 — 9.9

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

The Distance of Temporal Habits (TDoTH)

Average

2.3

Normal range

1.5 — 3.1

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Personal space (Ps)

Average

5.5

Normal range

4.1 — 7

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Distance of the territory (Dott)

Average

7.4

Normal range

5.6 — 9.2

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Physical Body Distance (PBD)

Average

5.2

Normal range

2.9 — 7.5

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Overall closeness score (Ocs)

Average

21.3

Normal range

11.3 — 31.3

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

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CLEAR ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this questionnaire measure?

It measures perceived emotional closeness and distance between spouses. It also identifies specific relationship areas linked to tension or disconnection.

How long does it take and how many items are included?

Estimated completion time is about 13 minutes. The questionnaire contains 69 items.

What topics are covered by the items?

Items cover emotional connection, communication, support, shared plans, and personal boundaries. Responses help indicate where partners feel aligned and where strain is reported.

How should items be answered for accurate results?

Select the response that best reflects typical experiences rather than rare events. Answer all items and avoid leaving blanks when possible.

How should results be used?

Results summarize overall closeness and highlight domains that may require attention. They support clinical discussion and treatment planning and are not a standalone diagnosis.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Marital Psychological Distance Scale Test - Symptoms and Signs

family adaptation family

This measure is designed to assess perceived closeness versus separation within a couple relationship. The Marital Psychological Distance Scale provides a structured self-report approach to characterizing relational distance across multiple domains of marital functioning.

Originally developed by C. E. Christensen and J. H. Larson, it includes 69 items and typically requires about 13 minutes to complete. Item content broadly samples areas commonly implicated in marital adjustment (e.g., emotional connection, perceived support, boundaries, and shared activities), supporting clinically focused discussion of where partners experience alignment or strain.

The Marital Psychological Distance Scale can be used in clinical or psychoeducational settings to facilitate case conceptualization and to help identify potential targets for intervention, while results should be interpreted in the context of additional assessment data and the couple’s presenting concerns.

Author: C. E. Christensen, J. H. Larson

Literature: Spanier, G. B. Measuring dyadic adjustment: New scales for assessing the quality of marriage and similar dyads. Journal of Marriage and the Family. 1976.

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