PMAT Offers Insight for Healthy Marriage

Mary Carty's questions will prepare you for navigating marriage post-honeymoon.

When we worked for a bridal magazine, we used to man the publication’s annual show, taking tickets and signing up couples to win a honeymoon trip. The soon-to-be brides and grooms were always in a good mood, beaming with anticipation. But for those looking for insight beyond the big day, Mary Carty’s new book, The Perfect Marriage Aptitude Test (Glitterati Inc., 2009), offers a crash course in happily ever after — even when your husband has left his wet towel on the bathroom floor again.

While there are standardized tests for schools and careers (SAT, GRE, MCAT, etc.), “There are no degree programs, internships or required training for marriage,” says Carty, who has been married for 24 years. The PMAT, styled as a “self-guided counseling course,” offers 200 possible marriage situations — including home, family and friends, intimacy, money and communication — with multiple-choice answers that can be tracked on a separate score sheet.

Once you’ve filled out your responses for each chapter, use your score to glean insight for your communication style. The Ultimate Response Style shows a willingness to collaborate, cooperate and compromise, taking positive actions to enhance the marriage; Competent Response Style indicates you’re open to discussing and cooperating on issues; Inconsistent Response Style is someone who is affectionate and respectful sometimes, but at other times shows disrespect and refuses to talk through issues; Clueless Response Style is the tendency to criticize, be disrespectful and refuse to cooperate.

We love the photos of the wedding cake-topper couple in front of a church and at their new home — they pop up throughout the book like the Travelocity gnome, adding levity to weighty couples’ issues. In light of new research that highlights the health effects of divorce, do you think a marriage aptitude test is a good idea?

Tags: Carty, Glitterati Inc., Mary Carty, Medical College Admission Test, Multiple choice