The MCI is a list of 64 strategies sometimes used by married couples and others engaged in long-term, close relationships. Respondents are asked to describe the most serious recurring problem they have with their partner and to rate the seriousness of that problem on a 5-point scale.

The CAC is an 82-item Likert-type questionnaire used to categorize marital complaints and behaviors. The CAC is an expansion of the Areas of Change Questionnaire (AC, Weiss & Birchler, 1975).