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CSI-4 · 14–21 · above the lineCSI-4 satisfied: what your relationship score means
A CSI-4 total of 14 or higher sits above the 13.5 line researchers use to flag relationship distress. In plain terms: you two are doing okay overall. Even in a tired, stretched first year after a baby, you're on solid ground — this is a snapshot to protect, not a problem to fix.
What this result means
The CSI-4 is the Couples Satisfaction Index — a short, research-validated measure of how satisfied you feel in your relationship (Funk & Rogge, 2007). It scores from 0 to 21, and 13.5 is the cutoff the authors found best separates satisfied couples from distressed ones. A score of 14 or above means your own read on the relationship is a positive one.
It's worth being clear about what that does and doesn't mean. This is your view on a single day — not a verdict on the whole relationship, and not a promise that everything is effortless. It means that, on balance, the warmth, reward and comfort are outweighing the friction. That's genuinely good news, especially in the season when most couples struggle.
Where this score sits
The CSI-4 runs from 0 to 21. Its authors identified 13.5 as the cutoff that best separates satisfied couples from distressed ones — at or above the line is the satisfied range, below it signals notable dissatisfaction. Here's the ladder, with your band marked:
- 0–7 — Distressed (well below the line)
- 8–13 — Below the line (notable dissatisfaction)
- 14–21 — Satisfied (above the line) (you are here)
What to do next
The move now is simple: protect it. Satisfaction after a baby usually erodes slowly, through a thousand small disconnections rather than one big rupture. The couples who stay above the line aren't the ones who never drift — they're the ones who reconnect in small, repeated ways before the drift sets in.
Keep one honest point of contact open every day, even for two minutes. Notice and say the good things out loud. Guard a scrap of couple-time that isn't about logistics or the baby. If you want the specific small moves that keep couples close through the first year, here's the reconnection playbook, and you can see your full checkup.
When to get help
At this level there's no need for alarm. A satisfied score is a green light, not a to-do. Still, satisfaction isn't fixed — if things dip later, that's normal too, and re-taking the check is a good way to notice early. If at any point you feel unsafe, or there's coercion or abuse in the relationship, that's different and never okay: find mental-health support in your country, or call your local emergency services.
FAQ
What does a CSI-4 score above 13.5 mean?
A CSI-4 total of 14 or higher sits above the 13.5 cutoff researchers use to flag distress. It means your own read on the relationship is a satisfied one — solid ground, even in a demanding first year after a baby.
Is a high relationship-satisfaction score a guarantee?
No. The CSI-4 is a snapshot of how you feel on one day, not a permanent verdict. Satisfaction can dip — especially after a baby — so it's worth re-checking now and then and protecting closeness with small, regular reconnection.
What should I do with a satisfied result?
Protect it. Keep a daily point of honest contact, guard a little couple-time, and reconnect in small ways before drift sets in. If a dip happens later, that's normal and usually fixable.
Regular is built by a small team of parents who needed it themselves — a companion for the first year after a baby that helps new dads rebuild closeness with their partner through small, science-backed moments, not big talks.
Scored with the CSI-4 (Funk & Rogge, 2007), a validated relationship-satisfaction measure, free for non-commercial use. A self-reflection, not a diagnosis. Below 13.5 indicates notable dissatisfaction. Relationship satisfaction is not a medical condition. When you take the check, your answers stay on your device.