Marriage Sabotaged Marriage 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is an example of 'love bombing' that later transitions into marriage sabotage?
- Consistent affection maintained throughout marriage
- Overwhelming early adoration followed by withdrawal, control, and devaluation (Correct answer)
- Increasing affection as trust grows
- Frequent gifts tied to shared events
Correct answer: Overwhelming early adoration followed by withdrawal, control, and devaluation
Love bombing creates an intense bond early on, which a manipulative partner later leverages as control shifts toward criticism and emotional withdrawal.
Question 2: A spouse habitually interrupts their partner mid-sentence in conversations. In terms of marriage health, this most likely reflects:
- Enthusiasm for the topic
- Disrespect for the partner's voice and perspective (Correct answer)
- Cultural communication differences only
- A sign of high energy
Correct answer: Disrespect for the partner's voice and perspective
Chronic interrupting signals a lack of respect and signals to the partner that their thoughts and opinions are not valued.
Question 3: When a partner repeatedly threatens divorce during arguments but never follows through, this behavior is best categorized as:
- Healthy expression of frustration
- Emotional manipulation through manufactured insecurity (Correct answer)
- Rational problem-solving
- An honest assessment of the relationship
Correct answer: Emotional manipulation through manufactured insecurity
Using divorce threats as a weapon during conflict creates chronic insecurity in the partner without genuine intent to resolve the underlying issues.
Question 4: Which scenario best illustrates 'DARVO' in a troubled marriage?
- A spouse calmly explaining their perspective
- An accused partner Denying wrongdoing, Attacking the accuser, and Reversing Victim and Offender roles (Correct answer)
- Couples working through conflict in therapy
- A partner apologizing and making amends
Correct answer: An accused partner Denying wrongdoing, Attacking the accuser, and Reversing Victim and Offender roles
DARVO is a manipulation tactic where the person accused of harm deflects by turning the confrontation around and portraying themselves as the victim.
Question 5: A spouse sabotages their partner's friendships by creating conflicts or monopolizing their time. The most likely underlying motivation is:
- Healthy desire for quality couple time
- Jealousy and desire to isolate the partner from support networks (Correct answer)
- Disliking the friends personally
- Scheduling conflicts
Correct answer: Jealousy and desire to isolate the partner from support networks
Isolating a partner from friends reduces their emotional support network, increasing dependence on the sabotaging spouse and reducing options to leave.
Question 6: What does it mean when therapists say a partner is 'keeping score' in a marriage?
- Tracking shared chores on a schedule
- Cataloging past grievances to deploy them as ammunition in future arguments (Correct answer)
- Monitoring financial contributions fairly
- Using a journal to process emotions
Correct answer: Cataloging past grievances to deploy them as ammunition in future arguments
Keeping score means harboring a mental ledger of past wrongs to use as leverage, preventing genuine forgiveness and ongoing conflict resolution.
Question 7: Which boundary-related behavior can sabotage a marriage over time?
- Maintaining friendships outside the marriage
- Refusing to set any limits with intrusive in-laws, allowing them to disrupt the couple's bond (Correct answer)
- Spending time alone occasionally
- Having career goals independent of the spouse
Correct answer: Refusing to set any limits with intrusive in-laws, allowing them to disrupt the couple's bond
Failing to protect the marital unit from intrusive family members signals to the spouse that they are not the primary loyalty, eroding the partnership.
Marriage Sabotaged Marriage 4
Which of the following is an example of 'love bombing' that later transitions into marriage sabotage?