Online relationship test could predict where yours is headed

How's your love life? An online relationship test that may reveal what you're really thinking. Laura Bell was surprised to hear the results of an online test she just took about her current relationship that told her she didn't see her partner quite as positively as you see yourself. "I think it's good to be aware of positive feelings you have about your relationship, as well as negative ones," said Laura.

But could those negative feelings lead to trouble down the road? University of Rochester professor Ronald Rogge studies relationships. He helped design the test to detect the early stages of relationship decay. "One of the things, one of the reasons we started this research is because I'm completely reliant on what people tell me about their relationships and they're not always willing to be forthcoming. Sometimes they don't know," said Rogge.

The test is a way to dig into the subconscious. Participants have to quickly pair up words that fit their partner, themselves and their relationship. "Going through, I kind of got nervous when you had to do the one word representations, if it was positive or negative," said a laughing Nate Kadar.

"There are definitely people out there that may be surprised at what their subconscious attitudes, or where, where their feelings lay," Rogge said. The hope is the test can be a relationship saver by getting couples to open up about any bad vibes they're feeling.

"The sooner they catch the seeds of their relationship starting to fall apart, the more they can do to change that. You know, it doesn't take a lot to strengthen a relationship," said Rogge.

Rogge hopes that in the future, the test will be helpful to counselors, pastors or priests who help prepare couples for marriage. So if you and your partner want to take the test and be part of the study, visit www.couples-research.com. It's free and you'll receive feedback right away.

Fast facts:

* Last year, 2,077,000 marriages took place in the U.S.
* In 2009, the divorce rate in America was 3.4 per 1,000 people.
* Engaged and married couples who have a negative image of their partners are seven times more likely to break up.
* A Rochester researcher is trying to find factors that predict whether a new relationship is headed for trouble.