DISCUSSION
This RCT tested the effect of two annual MCs on individual perceived stress. We did not find between‐group effects on average stress levels at any time point for women or men. Within‐group analyses revealed a Similar to the within‐group findings, reliable change statistics showed that more women in the MC group (26.5%) than in the control group experienced reliable improvements in stress after the second checkup. No other reliable changes were significant between groups in women or men. Taken together, our findings did not point to either positive or negative main effects of one or two MCs on perceived stress, but did, however, show a small yet transitory relief in stress after the second MC for women.The current findings contribute toward an otherwise understudied field examining the potential of relationship checkups, and other couple interventions targeting relationship distress, to alleviate symptoms of perceived stress. This field is in its infancy and, to our knowledge, only one previous study has examined and demonstrated positive effects on perceived stress when targeting relationship distress (Roddy, Rhoades, et al., 