Issues that threaten personal or important group identities, esteem, security, or survival are difficult to resolve, as are disputes with a long history of contentiousness. Conflicts over basic values, relative power, relative status, possession of limited resources vital to security, esteem, or identity are also difficult to resolve constructively unless the parties involved in the conflict are highly skilled and strongly committed to the CR process. Teachers in ongoing contact with their students can observe changes in conflict resolution behaviors in their classrooms. Interviews and questionnaires involve obtaining reports from the students about their own knowledge, attitudes, skills, and behavior in conflict situations. Diaries in which a student records daily experiences with conflict can be valuable, especially if a framework or set of questions is provided as a guide.
Some valuable references are available for practitioners doing their own assessments.
Learning through reflection. Transformative dimensions of adult learning. A classic textbook on research methods with excellent chapters on all aspects of research, including interviewing, questionnaire construction, and observation methods. Measures of personality and social attitudes. A guide to building quality programs in schools.