Question

Pam and Dave have been married for 4 years. Recently Pam and Dave had a terrible fight. Pam believes Dave insulted her sister at Thanksgiving. Dave told Pam he would apologize, but he never did. Now Pam feels like she cannot trust Dave when he says he will do something. Dave thinks the incident was no big deal and has no idea Pam is so mad. Lately, Pam is spending more time with her sister and Dave is spending more time at work. The result is that they hardly talk to each other.

Which of the following would help move their relationship to the next stage and avoid the dissolution stage?
a.
They should continue to explore different interests.
b.
They should find a way to discuss what happened calmly and clearly.
c.
Pam should continue to bring up the incident at Thanksgiving.
d.
Dave should wait until Pam calms down.

Answer 1

b. They should find a way to discuss what happened calmly and clearly.

A calm, clear conversation lets Pam express how she felt, lets Dave understand and genuinely respond (including an apology or explanation), and helps rebuild trust. The other options increase distance or avoid resolving the issue.