Children's conflict resolution strategies with friends: Relations to parent-child and interparental conflict resolution strategies
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to describe the conflict resolution strategies that 9- to 11-year-old children use with friends and with parents and the interrelations between them. The study also aimed to find the relation between mothers' and fathers' conflict resolution strategies with children and children's conflict resolution strategies with friends. A third goal was to find out if interparental conflict resolution strategies as reported by parents, and children's perceptions of interparental conflict resolution strategies, were related to children's conflict resolution strategies with friends. Finally, children's emotions in conflict situations were examined and linked to children's conflict resolution strategies. Conflict resolution strategies were defined broadly on the assumption that children could use more than one strategy. Sixty-one 9- to 11-year old children and their parents were interviewed individually using open-ended interviews. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed and coded for conflict resolution strategies and emotions. Most children reported using multiple strategies in conflicts with friends and parents. The first and the last strategy that participants reported using were used for the analyses. Children used a range of strategies with friends, predominantly disengagement, assertion, reasoning, and conventional strategies. More girls reported using disengagement with friends than did boys. Assertion, submission, and reasoning were the predominant strategies used with parents. Parents' conflict resolution strategies with children were related to the conflict situation. No clear relations between children's conflict resolution strategies with friends and parents' conflict resolution strategies with children were found, though there was some correspondence between mothers' and children's use of assertion as the first, and reasoning as the last strategy. Sex differences in emotions during conflict with friends and with parents were found. No clear patterns emerged between emotions experienced during conflict and conflict resolution strategies with friends and parents. Findings are discussed in light of the narratives of the respondents.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Melson, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Families & family life|Personal relationships|Sociology|Developmental psychology|Social psychology
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