The Effects of a State-Wide Conflict Management Initiative in Schools

ABSTRACT This study examines the impact of a grant package designed to assist schools to implement conflict management education programs in effecting lasting change within the schools. Participating schools received $3,000 the first year and $1,450 the second. In addition, schools received four days of training for a core team of school leaders, as well eight hours of follow-up consultation, a mid-year reunion of schools, and a large notebook of curriculum materials and program development resources. Results indicate that teachers perceive a moderate to a great deal of change in their schools and that implementation was positively related to school climate, collective efficacy and faculty trust.1 Conflict is an inevitable part of any collective activity or organization, including schools. People are in conflict when the actions of one person are interfering, obstructing or in some other way making another's behavior less effective (Tjosvold, 1997, p. 24). Conflict can emerge when interdependent parties perceive incompatible goals or as the result of competition for scarce resources (Boulding, 1963; Deutsch, 1962, 1973; Hocker & Wilmot, 1991; Rubin, Pruit, Kim, 1994). There are two major considerations when disputants face a conflict situation-the value of the goal and the value of the relationship (Johnson & Johnson, 1997). In conflict situations, constructive outcomes depend on the individual's ability to diagnose the importance of goals and of the relationship and act accordingly. Disputants who lack conflict management skills tend to resort to "fight or flight" when faced with conflict. In the "fight" condition, disputants press hard to achieve their goal, often through distributive or "win-lose" solutions that are likely to damage the relationship. These solutions tend to be temporary as the loser seeks an opportunity to redress the loss. In the "flight" condition, disputants act in ways that value neither the goal nor the relationship, giving up on both. A disputant that values the relationship more highly than the goal may engage in accommodating behavior, giving in to the other's wishes. However, people who are engaged in a conflict where they value both their goal and the relationship with the other party, need the skills to engage in negotiation toward an integrative or "win-win" solution. Durable solutions tend to result when integrative strategies are employed (Johnson & Johnson, 1996). Conflict pervades the lives of adolescents. Conflicts in school often center around name calling and disrespect; gossip and rumors; stolen or damaged property; and dating or friendships issues (Burrell and Vogl, 1990; Ohio Commission on Dispute Resolution and Conflict Management, 1993). Although it is often unsettling, conflict has the potential for such positive outcomes as promoting personal growth, generating interpersonal insight, and clarifying personal identity and values. Most of the time, however, potential positive outcomes are never realized because adolescents often have poor conflict management skills and consequently tend to manage their conflicts in destructive ways (Johnson, Johnson, Dudley, Mitchell & Frederickson, 1997). Students with inadequate conflict and anger management skills who are striking out violently have created a crisis for schools across the nation. The Centers for Disease Control found that one in 25 high school students carried a gun to school (Bodine & Crawford, 1998). The resultant fear experienced by students impairs the learning process. Teachers also are negatively impacted by students' poor conflict management skills. One out of every five teachers could cite incidents of verbal or physical threats from students in the past twelve months (Bodine & Crawford, 1998). In the wake of a series of highly publicized school shootings, schools are understandably more security conscious. But metal detectors and security checks can only go so far. …