STRATEGIES IN HANDLING PEER CONFLICTS AMONG BSN 3C AND 3D STUDENTS IN WEST VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY

A Research Paper Presented to Miss Joy Hondrade Instructor for ENG 103 West Visayas State University

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for ENG 103: Writing in the Discipline

Maria Jeanette L. Villanuz Mary Kaye C. Tacuel Ira Hope D. Salonga Richie Sazon October 2007

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION OF THE STUDY Background and Theoretical Framework of the Study Statement of the Problem Significance of the Study Scope and Delimitation of the Study 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE Peers Conflicts Conflict Strategies Summary 3 METHODOLOGY The Respondents Materials and Instrumentation 4 RESULT DISCUSSION Presentation of the Results Analysis, Insight and Summary of the Problem, Methods and Findings Conclusion REFERENCES APPENDICES

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List of Tables

Table 1 2 Distribution of the respondents Strategies in Handling Peer Conflicts among BSN 3C and 3D Students in West Visayas State University

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List of Figure

Figure 1 Variables that may affect strategies in handling peer conflicts

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List of Appendices

Appendix A B. C. D. E. Communications Table of Specifications Research Instrument Statistical Computations Pictorials

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Strategies in Handling Peer Conflicts among BSN 3C and 3D Students in West Visayas State University

Maria Jeanette L. Villanuz Mary Kaye C. Tacuel Ira Hope D. Salonga Richie Sazon

Chapter 1 Introduction of the Study Chapter 1 is divided into four parts: (1) Background and Theoretical Framework of the Study, (2) Statement of the Problem, (3) Significance of the Study, and (4) Scope and Delimitation of the Study. Part One, Background of the Study, presents the introduction to the study and discusses the rationale for choosing the problem. Part Two, Statement of the Problem, describes the purpose in conducting the study and enumerates the specific objectives of the research. Part Three, Significance of the Study, states the benefits that could be derived from the findings of the study. Part Four, Delimitation of the Study, identifies the coverage of the investigation in terms of purpose, variables, subjects and research instrument used.

Background and Theoretical Framework of the Study

Every person needs to communicate with other people and because of this, disagreements and misunderstandings may occur. No two people are alike. Some people may think the same about something but no two people think samely about everything. Thus, there will always be conflicts among people. Unresolved conflicts can cause arguments, fights, and scapegoating if they are not understood and handled wisely. It is because of this that a person tries to find ways to understand and handle conflicts. Nowadays, teenagers have been exposed to a lot of changes in dealing with other people, older or younger than them. In most instances, teenagers cannot avoid to have conflicts with other teenagers. Some teenagers are more likely to take risks than adults are. Those areas that are undergoing drastic change mirrors cognitive change. According to the Theory of Adolescence, the most dramatic shifts around puberty is on the are believed crucial for advance mental function such as reasoning, making judgement and self-control. Teenage years have always been the most difficult stage in life because teenagers learn to discover new things. This is the stage of curiosity, where they try to experiment with their feelings. Because of this, they differ on how they think, reason, and make judgements resulting to conflicts. Conflict is both natural and inevitable in human interactions. However with the rapid acceleration program implemented in academic institutions, there

has been significant increase in incidents of violent conflicts in schools. For instance, in College of Nursing, students are bombarded with pressures from instructors, clinical exposures as well as their peers. Although their peers may help in resolving school-related challenges, their peers too could be at times against each other. Thus, our interest to conduct this research.

Independent Variables Sex Section

Dependent Variable Strategies in handling peer conflicts

Figure 1. Variables that may affect strategies in handling peer conflicts.

Statement of the Problem

This study aimed to determine the prevalent strategies in handling conflicts among BSN 3C and 3D students in West Visayas State University. Furthermore, it sought answers to the following questions: 1. What is the prevalent strategy of students in handling peer conflicts? 2. What are the prevalent strategies in handling peer conflicts when students are grouped according to (a) sex, and (b) section?

Significance of the Study

The results of this study may be beneficial to the following: The teenagers will benefit most from the outcome of this research. Knowing the different strategies in handling conflicts may help improve themselves and their relationships. The parents may also benefit from this study. The results of the study may enable them to understand their children. The knowledge gained may be useful in guiding their children towards applying the best strategy in solving conflicts. Guidance counselors may also profit from this study since students with conflicts are most likely to seek help from them. It may help them deal with student conflicts better. Teachers, with the additional knowledge from this study, may learn to understand and deal with students with conflicts better. And lastly, future researchers will get handy insights from the results that could be beneficial to them. The outcome will serve as springboard in conducting studies similar or related to this study.

Scope and Delimitation of the Study

This study aimed to determine the prevalent strategies in handling conflicts among BSN 3C and 3D students in West Visayas State University. It likewise aimed to determine the prevalent strategies in handling peer conflicts when students are grouped according to (a) sex, and (b) section.

The respondents of this investigation were the 70 out 99 students of BSN 3D and 3D in West Visayas State University. This survey research focused on the strategies in handling conflicts as dependent variable and sex and section as independent variables. Data needed for this study were gathered through a researcher-made instrument. To describe the data gathered, the mean and standard deviation were used. All statistical computations were processed through the use of the Microsoft Excel Program.

Chapter 2 Review of Related Literature

Chapter 2 is divided into four parts: (1) Peers, (2) Conflicts, (3) Conflict Strategies, and (4) Summary. Part One, Peers, defines what peers are and discusses what predispose them to conflicts. Part Two, Conflicts, presents the conflicts among teenagers, what causes these and some of the outcomes of conflict. Part Three, Conflict Strategies, states the different strategies in handling conflicts. Part Four, gives the gist of important points presented in this chapter.

Peers The peer is a small, informal and somewhat exclusive affiliation of individuals in a face-to-face group. Members are of approximately of the same age. Basis of peer group formation are interests, special aptitudes, and the desire to get together with others or to do things with others.

Conflicts Conflict is difficult to define. It is a struggle for mastery, a combat to overcome, active opposition, strife and involves opposing forces and differing objectives.

Conflict may be defined as a disagreement resulting from incompatible elements between or among two parties. It is inevitable in all facets of life. Conflict does not happen by chance. It is caused. Absence of love, understanding, trust, joint planning, privacy, responsibility, and friendships usually results to conflicts. Conflicts are usually about friendship, misunderstanding, and minor infractions of pushing, shoving, or other school or social relationships. Although conflict is perceived as a negative phenomenon by most people, conflict is not really that bad. Not all conflict is destructive; it can be productive and valuable source of creativity. Conflicts by itself cannot be labeled good or bad. What is essential is their consequence. Conflicts may bring in positive payoffs. They may come as a blessing in disguise. Where conflicts may bring in positive payoffs, it is far better to encourage and stimulate them. The absence of conflict may reflect the situation of high dependency, yesmanism, narrow visioning and excessive conformity. However, there are also dangers of excessive conflicts. Conflicts may distort perceptions, stop communication, and produce violence, sabotage and chaos. Unresolved conflicts sometimes gave students a mood disorders, such as depression, usually tends teenagers to attempt suicide. And some of these suicides are due to poor communication or poor relations with others.

Perfection is rare while pitfalls, shortcomings, and shortages are the part of everyday reality. Therefore, conflicts are inevitable. The best approach to deal with conflicts is to successfully manage them. Conflict has the potential to harm relationships if they are not handled properly. It is important to restate the worth of the relationship, the other person, and how you feel about the impact of the conflict issue on your relationship. It may be that the conflict created distrust that will take time to heal. It is also very possible that the relationship feels stronger immediately after a conflict. Expressing the strong closeness or gratitude for sharing that took place in the conflict is also very important. The outcomes of a conflict may be (1) an unresolved situation, as when simply drop the issue; (2) an adult-imposed solution; (3) the submission of one individual to another; (4) a mutually agreed-on solution achieved through bargaining, compromising, or finding alternate activities.

Conflict Strategies When individuals encounter conflict, they orient to the conflict in differing ways. Some ways of orienting to conflict are well-designed to help an individual serve his or her goals, independent of the goals of others; others are designed to keep conflict from disrupting relationships. Managing conflicts is one of the important functions of modern day management. Some people thrive on conflict; others shrink away from it. But no

matter how we react, it is important that we understand our conflict-related behavior and learn to manage it more successfully. The particular strategy used in any situation depends on how important goals and relationships are to an individual. To be skilled in conflict management, one should be skilled in all five strategies. An individual has choices and styles to be learned.

Avoiding. When a conflict situation arises that does not seem important in terms of participants personal goals or their relationships with others, they may choose to avoid a conflict completely. This can be done by ignoring it, avoiding the circumstances that may cause it to arise, or simply withdrawing from the situation. The conflict is not dealt with directly in this case, but ignored. This strategy produces unwillingness to cooperate with a problem, denying that it exists, or withdrawing from the situation itself. This approach has a low degree of focus on the personal relationships and feelings of the people involved. Avoiding is characterized by both uncooperative and unassertive behavior by both parties. Those employing this style simply do not face the conflict and do not care about each others needs and concerns. They evade the issue, refuse to discuss the situation, or may not even stay for the final decision. Avoiding may help maintain relationships that would be hurt by conflict resolution but conflicts remain unresolved, overuse of the style leads to others walking over them.

It is appropriate to use avoiding strategy when the stakes are not high or issue is trivial, when confrontation will hurt a working relationship, when disruption outweighs benefit of conflict resolution, when gathering information is more important than an immediate decision, when others can more effectively resolve the conflict, when time constraints demand a delay.

Two forms of avoidance Protecting. It is when individuals are determined to avoid conflicts at all costs. Protecting requires individuals to actively engage in keeping conflict from surfacing in groups. Whenever conflict arises, the individual engaged in protecting will not acknowledge that the conflict exists. Withdrawal. It is when individuals try to avoid the conflict and keep it from surfacing; however, when conflicts do arise, individuals who are engaged in withdrawal might address parts of the conflict while trying to avoid other aspects of the conflict.

Smoothing. Smoothing involves the maximum use of both cooperation and assertion. Assertion prevents smoothing from becoming a compromise or a sellout. Cooperation prevents it from being a competitive struggle with winners and losers. Smoothing is dialectic between these seemingly contradictory approaches. Those using a smoothing style aim to satisfy the needs and concerns of both parties to the conflict.

In this strategy, the carer feels empathy for the person. By encouraging the full verbal expression of negative feelings, and sympathizing it is possible to create a relationship with the other person and calm the situation. While their own goals are of little importance, they want to be accepted and liked by other people. They think that conflict should be avoided in favor of harmony and believed that conflicts cannot be discussed without damaging relationships. They are afraid that would ruin the relationship. They say, I'll give up my goals and let you have what you want in order for you to like me. They try to smooth over the conflict in fear of harming the relationship. This strategy to conflict is characterized by attempts to appease other people. This style may be used in situations where relationships with other individuals or the well-being of the group as unit are more important than taskrelated goals. In order to maintain relationships with others or the ability of the group to function, a member may give in on a point or avoid voicing a position on a controversial issue. This appeases others, and limits the conflicts. Smoothing is the opposite of competition. Instead of forcing one's own point, an accommodating style/person is usually willing to yield their viewpoint to the other side. Instead of arguing for or maintaining their position, smoothing produces agreement with the other side. This approach has a low degree of focus and on the task at hand, and high focus on the personal relationships and feelings of the people involved.

Two forms of smoothing Yielding. Yielding is where an individual accepts another's solution without expressing their own beliefs and concerns. Yielding accommodates entirely and without resistance. Yielding occurs when the individual is not engaged in a conversation and shows a little concern over the solution. Conceding. Conceding is when an individual is more engaged in the conflict but still relents to other's positions in the end.

Forcing. Forcing is characterized by assertive behavior. Forcing means placing one's own needs ad concerns above others. It achieves goals at all costs and is not concerned with the needs of others. A forcing conflict strategy is often taken when a person involved is focused on his or her own personal goals, rather than on relationships with other people in the group or the well being of the group as a unit. When employing a forcing strategy to conflict, people commonly view the conflict as a win-lose situation; either their viewpoint prevails and they win, or else they lose. They may be forceful and assertive in the situation. Compromises and concessions are not acceptable. They see their own view or opinion as right and try to use argumentation and evidence to persuade other group members to accept their view point. The forcing strategy to conflict is an attempt to force one side's opinions on another side. This strategy assumes that there is a best way to handle the conflict and impose the method. This strategy has a high degree of focus on the

task at hand, and little focus on the personal relationships and feelings of the people.

Compromising. In some cases, it is not possible for the goals of al members to be met. The needs of the group and the task-related goals of the members may both be important, but not vital, to the participants. In such situations, a compromise is one way in which the conflict can be resolved. A compromise is characterized by give-and-take on the parts of all members. Participants ay give in on one point in order to gain an advantage on another. The compromising strategy involves negotiation, trade-offs, and a high degree of flexibility. The people in a compromised situation each get a little bit of what they want, but may not agree with the finished result and/or products. Thus in order to get what you want, you have to give something up in the process. This strategy has a medium degree of focus on the task at hand, and medium focus on the personal relationships and feelings of the people. Often, compromise produces an outcome that is less than ideal for the group. At other times, compromise is the best a group can expect to achieveespecially if individuals are more committed to their own ideas than the groups greater good. People, often view compromise as "losing". Although compromise requires a loss of specific elements of each person's position, a compromised solution can still closely resemble a large portion of an individual's original proposal.

Moderate amounts of cooperativeness and assertiveness are required to make a compromise. The person compromising expects that the outcome will be a partial fulfillment of the needs, concerns, and goals of both parties to the conflict. Both search for a mutually acceptable, partially satisfying solution.

Summary Everyday experience suggests that conflict cannot be avoided in interaction with others. Conflict is difficult to define: a struggle for mastery, combat to overcome, active opposition and strife. It involves opposing forces and different objectives. An agreement that satisfies ones needs, meets ones goals and

maintaining an appropriate relationship with the other person are concerns that affect the strategy chosen by the individual. The different conflict strategies are: Avoiding strategy means staying away from the conflict physically and psychologically. They give up personal goals and relationships and see conflicts as helpless and hopeless. Smoothing strategy is by giving up what they want to maintain the relationship. Personal goals are not very important and believe that conflicts harm relationships. Forcing strategy is convincing others to accept their solution to the conflict. Personal goals are very important while relationships are not. They achieve goals at all cost and are not concerned with the needs of others.

Compromising strategy is by giving up some of personal goals and persuading others to give up some of theirs too. It is a give and take. It has moderate concern for personal goals and needs. Confronting strategy is by viewing conflicts as problems to be resolves. They seek solutions that meet personal and others goals and believe that conflict can improve relationships.

Chapter 3 Methodology

This chapter consists of two parts: (1) The Respondents and (2) Materials and Instrumentation. Part One, The Respondents, delineates the subjects of the study. Part Two, Materials and Instrumentation, discusses the data gathering instrument employed in the study.

The Respondents

The respondents of the study were 70 students of BSN 3C and 3D in West Visayas State University, which represents 70.7% of the total population. To identify the final respondents, the simple random sampling technique was used. Pieces of paper with the same size and color on which the participants assigned number is written was placed in a container and mixed. Then, the 70 sample was drawn without replacement. The participants were classified to sex and section. As to sex, the participants were grouped as male and female; and as to section, they were grouped as C and D. Of the 70 students categorized according to sex, 19 (27.14%) are male and 51 (72.86%) are females; and as to section, 35 (50%) are from section C and 35 (50%) are from section D.

Table 1 presents the data.

Table 1 Distribution of the Respondents ________________________________________________________________ Categories A. Entire Group B. Sex Male Female 19 51 27.14 72.86 f 70 % l 100

C. Section Section C 35 50 Section D 35 50 ________________________________________________________________

Materials and Instrumentation

A researcher-made instrument was used for data gathering. A brief information sheet was provided to gather data about the respondents name, sex and section. Conflict Strategies Questionnaire was utilized to determine the peer conflict strategies of the students. This instrumentation is composed of 20 items. The categories were the different conflict strategies: avoiding, smoothing, forcing, compromising and confronting. Four items were allotted for each conflict strategy respectively. Each statement was provided with four alternative responses as follows: Always, Often, Sometimes, and Never.

For computation purposes, each response was given an equivalent as follows: Response Always Often Sometimes Never Weight 4 3 2 1

To interpret the mean, the higher the mean for each conflict strategy, the greater the probability that it is the prevalent strategy of BSN 3C and 3D students in West Visayas State University in handling peer conflicts. The lower the mean, the less frequent the students use this conflict strategy.

Chapter 4 Result Discussion

This chapter presents the results and corresponding analyses of this investigation. It is divided into three parts: (1) Presentation of the Results, (2) Analysis, Insight and Summary, and (3) Conclusion. Part One, Presentation of the Results, presents the mean and standard deviation computations of the prevalent strategies in handling peer conflicts among BSN 3C and 3D students in West Visayas State University. Part Two, Analysis, Insight and Summary, discusses the significant points and findings of the study. Part Three, Conclusion, presents the conclusions drawn from the results of the study.

Presentation of the Results

Differences on the Strategies in Handling Peer Conflicts among BSN 2C and 3D Students in West Visayas State University The prevalent strategy in handling peer conflicts among BSN 2C and 3D Students in West Visayas State University was determined in this investigation. The mean and standard deviation were used to describe the data. The results revealed that the prevalent strategy in handling conflict was confronting when the respondents were taken as an entire group.

When grouped according to sex, confronting was the prevalent strategy in handling peer conflicts. The mean scores among male, (M = 2.88) and female, (M = 2.96). The standard deviations ranged from 0.44 to 0.52, showing a narrow dispersion of scores. When grouped according to section, confronting was the prevalent strategy in handling peer conflict. The mean scores among section C, (M= 2.96) and section D, (M = 2.91). The standard deviations ranged from 0.49 to 0.50, showing a narrow dispersion of scores. Results are shown in Table 2.

Table 2 Strategies in Handling Peer Conflicts among BSN 3C and 3D Students in West Visayas State University Category A. Entire Group B. Sex Male Female C. Section Section C Section D M 2. 95 2.88 2.96 2.96 2.91 SD 0.50 0.44 0.52 0.50 0.49 Description Confronting Confronting Confronting Confronting Confronting

Analysis, Insight and Summary

Analysis The results revealed that the prevalent strategy in handling conflict was confronting when the respondents were taken as an entire group. When grouped according to sex, confronting was the prevalent strategy in handling peer conflicts. Both males and females utilize the confronting strategy when dealing with a peer conflict. When grouped according to section, confronting was the prevalent strategy in handling peer conflict. In both sections, the students use the confronting strategy when faced with a peer conflict.

Insight

Summary of the Problem, Methods and Findings The main purpose of this study was to determine the prevalent strategies in handling peer conflicts among BSN 3C and 3D students in West Visayas State University. It likewise aimed to determine how sex and section would affect the prevalent strategies in handling conflicts. Specifically, this investigation sought answers to the following questions:

1. What is the prevalent strategy of students in handling peer conflicts? 2. What are the prevalent strategies in handling peer conflicts when students are grouped according to (a) sex, and (b) section? This study was conducted on September 2007. The respondents were selected through simple random sampling technique and 70 students were the sample size. They were classified according to sex and section. The data needed for the study were gathered through the use of a researcher-made questionnaire, Descriptive statistics employed were the mean and standard deviation, which were computer processed through the Microsoft Excel Program. The findings of the study showed that: 1. When taken as an entire group, the prevalent strategy in handling peer conflict was confronting. 2. When grouped according to sex, confronting was the prevalent strategy in handling peer conflicts. Both males and females utilize the confronting strategy when dealing with a peer conflict. When grouped according to section, confronting was the prevalent strategy in handling peer conflict. In both sections, the students use the confronting strategy when faced with a peer conflict.

Conclusion From the preceding findings, the following conclusions were drawn:

Based on the results, when taken as an entire group, the prevalent strategy in handling peer conflicts among third year nursing students was confronting. When grouped according to sex and section respectively, confronting strategy was still prevalent. Thus, regardless of the sex or section, third year nursing students employ the confronting strategy when dealing with a peer conflict.

REFERENCES

APPENDICES

Appendix A Communications

Appendix B Table of Specifications

Appendix C Research Instrument

Appendix D Statistical Computations

Appendix E Pictorials

West Visayas State University COLLEGE OF NURSING La Paz, Iloilo City

September 28, 2007 Dear Respondent: Greetings! We are presently conducting a research entitled Strategies in Handling Peer Conflicts among BSN 3C and 3D Students in West Visayas State University College of Nursing as a requirement in Eng 103: Writing in the Discipline. To successfully carry out this study, please supply the needed information honestly and do not leave any item unanswered. Your full cooperation will be highly appreciated. Thank you very much!

Sincerely yours, RICHIE SAZON IRA HOPE SALONGA MARY KAYE TACUEL MARIA JEANETTE VILLANUZ Researchers

Noted: MISS JOY HONRADE English Instructor

Strategies in Handling Peer Conflicts among BSN 3C and 3D Students in West Visayas State University

This research instrument is intended to gather data from BSN 3C and 3D students in West Visayas State University. You are in the best position to supply the needed data for the purpose. In this connection, kindly answer the, as sincerely and as truthfully as you can, by supplying the information on the space provided. Please do not leave any item unanswered.

PERSONA L INFORMATION
Name (optional) : __________________________________ Section: ___ Sex: Male ___ Female ___

QUESTIONNAIRE PROPER Instruction: Complete the following questionnaire by encircling the answer that best describes your feelings about each statement. 4 - Always 3 - Often 2 - Sometimes 1 - Never

Always 1. I believe that soft words can mellow a hard heart, so every time my friends and I disagree, I refrain from raising my voice. 2. I require my friends to believe in me even though they dont agree with me. 4 3 2

Never 1

Always 3. To avoid disagreements, I continue to do what my friends are doing even though it is wrong. 4. Even though I am wrong, I still convince my friends that I am right. 5. Even though I dont have the final decision, I still tell my friends on what I think about the situation. 6. Every time I feel that friends have mood swings, I try to stay away from them. 7. I say what I think and how I feel without trying to understand what my friends think and feel. 8. When my friends and I disagree, I offer them something (gift, food, etc.) because I believe that it will patch things up between us. I bring my conflicts into the open and face them directly. 9. During reconciliation about a disagreement, I usually walk away before hearing the final decision. 10. Getting part of what I want is better than getting nothing at all. 11. I politely and honestly tell my friends about my opinion. 12. I refrain from thinking about a disagreement with my friends because I believe that it will just pass. 13. As much as possible, I try to talk in a soft and calm manner because I dont want my friends to get irritated. 14. As much as possible, I try to talk in a soft and calm manner because I dont want my friends to get irritated. 4 3 2

Never 1

4 4

3 3

2 2

1 1

4 4

3 3

2 2

1 1

4 4 4

3 3 3

2 2 2

1 1 1

Always 15. I volunteer myself to patch up things between my friends and me as long as they are also willing to give their support. 16. If I cant talk to my friends directly, I text or call them as soon as I can to discuss the problem. 17. I only say good things about my friends. 18. To stop the argument, I let my friends win even though I am right. 19. I want my friends to put themselves in my place so they will understand why I think the way I do. 20. Conflicts will just go away if I avoid them. 4 3 2

Never 1

4 4 4

3 3 3

2 2 2

1 1 1

Table of Specifications

Categories Avoiding Smoothing Forcing Compromising Confronting Total

Item Nos. 6, 10, 13, 20 1, 14, 17, 18 2, 4, 7, 19 3, 8, 11, 15 5, 9, 12, 16

Total No. of Items 4 4 4 4 4 20

Percentage 20 % 20 % 20 % 20 % 20 % 100%

Statistical Computations Entire Group

f Entire Group Forcing Smoothing Compromising Confronting Avoiding 70

SD

Mean

0.42 0.46 0.34 0.5 1.00

2.132 2.571 2.329 2.936 2.154

According to Sex f Male Forcing Smoothing Compromising Confronting Avoiding Female Forcing Smoothing Compromising Confronting Avoiding 51 0.42 0.41 0.35 0.52 0.48 2.118 2.539 2.319 2.956 2.093 19 0.44 0.58 0.32 0.44 0.53 2.171 2.658 2.355 2.882 2.316 SD Mean

According to Section f SD Mean

Section C Forcing Smoothing Compromising Confronting Avoiding Section D

35 0.380 0.418 0.342 0.502 0.543 35 2.193 2.571 2.279 2.957 2.193

Forcing Smoothing Compromising Confronting Avoiding

0.46 0.509 0.340 0.490 0.467

2.071 2.571 2.379 2.914 2.114