Conflict management in Physical Education: The critical role of team-based activities in physical education to improve cooperation and wellbeing

Abstract

Physical Education (PE) teachers’ responsibility is critical in supporting the development of students’ motivation, positive attitude and behaviour. . This study explored students’ conflict management styles, the most common sources of conflicts during PE, and the relationship between conflict management styles, self-perceived health and social-emotional wellbeing among high school students in Hungary. A self-administered, anonymous, cross-sectional survey was completed by students in high school (n=385, 54.8 % female Mage =16.98 yrs, SD. 1.28). Only 2.9% of the students reported applying a collaborating management style. These students also rated their health higher. However, students with competitive conflict management were more satisfied with their lives. Most students never had conflicts with the teacher, and if any, they used accommodating conflict management strategies. Behavioural expectations, extreme performance requirements, and disliking the subject were the most common sources of conflicts in PE. The conflict management strategies did not significantly correlate with the psychosomatic symptoms scale; however, students with collaborating conflict management reported fewer sleep problems. These findings underpin the significant role of conflict management skills in health and social-emotional wellbeing. Keywords: adolescent, team sports, physical education, wellbeing, conflicts