Fri, 29 March 2024

News

Print

Back

News

The Help Of Mediation

a11.12.20.jpg
There’s evidence that we continue to repeat negative patterns in new relationships, even when we hope to see a change. The problems can range from fairly superficial to serious, like difficulties to communicate or disagreements on big decisions.

There are techniques for managing conflict, like those explored by François Bogacz from the University of Geneva. His new study suggests that mediation — negotiation facilitated by a neutral third party such as a therapist or counsellor — may be the best way for couples to resolve serious conflict. While on the surface an argument may appear to be about who does the dishes more, it’s likely that there are other factors at play, the washing up merely a stand-in for deeper issues about compatibility, personality or politics.

The study explored how often participants thought about separating from their partner and how often there were significant disagreements. The researchers also measured participants’ emotional competence (i.e. how well a person understands their own and others’ emotions) as well as dispositional mindfulness (i.e. how present someone is able to be in the moment).

Finally, participants indicated how they respond before, during and after conflicts with people in their life. These answers revealed how much participants used four different styles of conflict: active-constructive (good at taking others’ perspectives); passive-constructive (delaying and considering a response to conflict); active-destructive (openly expressing anger) and passive-destructive (avoiding conflict altogether).

What is clear from the study is that certain personality traits or skills can help resolve conflict. These aren’t impossible things to master — emotional competence is a focus in many types of individual therapeutic intervention. But for those who don’t happen to have those traits or struggle to foster them, mediation seems like a hopeful option.

The study was published in Humanities and Social Sciences Communication.

Photo: SN

Details:

Date: 11 December 2020
Credits Publisher: Spiritual News

© 1998-2024 Spiritual® and Spiritual Search® are registered trademarks. The reproduction, even partial, of Spiritual contents is prohibited. Spiritual is not responsible in any way of the contents of the linked websites. Publishing House: Gruppo 4 s.r.l. VAT Registration number PD 02709800284 - IT E.U.
E-mail: staff@spiritual.eu

Engineered by Gruppo 4 s.r.l.