{"name":"Swooni Relationship Fitness Index","version":"1","edition":"July 2026","status":"evidence baseline","published":"2026-07-10","updated":"2026-07-10","updateCadence":"Monthly","nextScheduledReview":"August 2026","url":"https://swooni.io/relationship-fitness-index","methodology":"https://swooni.io/relationship-fitness-index#methodology","machineReadable":{"json":"https://swooni.io/relationship-fitness-index.json","csv":"https://swooni.io/relationship-fitness-index.csv"},"description":"A source-backed baseline for understanding relationship fitness through connection, communication, appreciation, repair, and continuity.","dataPolicy":{"includesSwooniMemberData":false,"statement":"This edition contains public research only. It does not contain private, individual, inferred, or anonymized Swooni member data."},"dimensions":[{"id":"connection","number":"01","label":"Connection","question":"Do both partners feel noticed, supported, and emotionally reachable?","practice":"Track small bids for attention, moments of warmth, and whether support is available when it matters."},{"id":"communication","number":"02","label":"Communication","question":"Can needs and feelings be named without the conversation becoming unsafe?","practice":"Look for clarity, listening, softer starts, and enough room for both perspectives."},{"id":"appreciation","number":"03","label":"Appreciation","question":"Are positive moments visible, specific, and repeated?","practice":"Notice gratitude, affection, humor, and everyday signals that keep goodwill available during stress."},{"id":"repair","number":"04","label":"Repair","question":"After friction, can the couple take responsibility and find their way back?","practice":"Watch for accountability, de-escalation, apology, reassurance, and completed reconnection."},{"id":"continuity","number":"05","label":"Continuity","question":"Do useful relationship habits survive busy weeks and difficult seasons?","practice":"Measure consistency gently: repeated check-ins matter more than an occasional perfect conversation."}],"metrics":[{"id":"global-loneliness","label":"People globally reporting loneliness","displayValue":"1 in 6","numericValue":15.8,"unit":"percent","direction":"context","summary":"The WHO estimates that 15.8% of people globally reported loneliness between 2014 and 2023.","sourceId":"who-social-connection-2025","limitation":"This is a global loneliness estimate, not a measure of romantic relationship quality or Swooni members."},{"id":"heart-disease-risk","label":"Higher heart-disease risk associated with poor social relationships","displayValue":"+29%","numericValue":29,"unit":"percent","direction":"risk","summary":"A synthesis cited by the U.S. Surgeon General associated poor social relationships with a 29% increase in heart-disease risk.","sourceId":"hhs-social-connection-advisory","limitation":"This is an association across social-connection research and does not establish that one relationship habit causes a health outcome."},{"id":"stroke-risk","label":"Higher stroke risk associated with poor social relationships","displayValue":"+32%","numericValue":32,"unit":"percent","direction":"risk","summary":"The same synthesis associated poor social relationships with a 32% increase in stroke risk.","sourceId":"hhs-social-connection-advisory","limitation":"This is a population-level association, not a prediction or clinical assessment for an individual or couple."},{"id":"adult-development-duration","label":"Years in the Harvard adult-development study","displayValue":"87 years","numericValue":87,"unit":"years","direction":"context","summary":"The Harvard Study of Adult Development began in 1938 and continues to examine relationships, health, and happiness across generations.","sourceId":"harvard-adult-development-2025","limitation":"Its original cohorts were not globally representative; the value here describes study duration, not an effect size."},{"id":"positive-interaction-benchmark","label":"Positive-to-negative interactions during conflict","displayValue":"5:1","numericValue":5,"unit":"ratio","direction":"benchmark","summary":"The Gottman Institute describes five or more positive interactions for every negative interaction during conflict in stable, happy relationships.","sourceId":"gottman-magic-ratio","limitation":"The ratio is a research-informed benchmark, not a diagnostic threshold or guarantee for a particular relationship."}],"sources":[{"id":"who-social-connection-2025","organization":"World Health Organization","title":"From loneliness to social connection: charting a path to healthier societies","date":"2025-06-30","dateType":"published","url":"https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/978240112360","sourceType":"public-health report"},{"id":"hhs-social-connection-advisory","organization":"U.S. Department of Health and Human Services","title":"Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation","date":"2023-05-03","dateType":"published","url":"https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/reports-and-publications/connection/index.html","sourceType":"public-health report"},{"id":"harvard-adult-development-2025","organization":"Harvard Study of Adult Development","title":"Things money cannot buy — like happiness and better health","date":"2025-05-20","dateType":"published","url":"https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2025/05/things-money-cant-buy-like-happiness-and-better-health/","sourceType":"longitudinal study summary"},{"id":"gottman-magic-ratio","organization":"The Gottman Institute","title":"The Magic 5:1 Ratio","date":"2026-07-10","dateType":"accessed","url":"https://www.gottman.com/couples/","sourceType":"research institute guidance"}],"interpretation":"The evidence signals provide context for why relationship fitness matters. They are not combined into a person-level, couple-level, clinical, or diagnostic score.","editionHistory":[{"version":"1","edition":"July 2026","reviewed":"2026-07-10","note":"Initial public-research evidence baseline and five-dimension framework."}]}