Conflict Resolution Strategies Research Articles

An Appraisal of Nigeria Peace Keeping Process in Darfur –Sudan

The art of external intervention as a strategy for conflict resolution and crisis management has been prominent among nations of the world. In Africa, Nigeria has been championing the course of peace in this respect since her independence. Peace keeping is a third party intervention which operates with a set of guiding principles that include the consent of the parties in conflict, impartiality and non use of force except on self defense. Again, foreign policy of any nation serves as a mirror of its domestic reality. It begins with identification and articulation of national interests. Nation’s interest represents and serves the principal consideration in the formulation and execution of national policies especially in international relations. It’s against this background that Nigeria maintained that ‘Africa is the centre peace and security’ in her foreign policy. Consequently, this paper is focused on the appraisal of Nigeria peace keeping efforts in Darfur region of Sudan from 2004-2015. Content analyses were used and system theory was adopted as a foundation to the research. Some of findings made are: 1. Nigeria’s much engagements in peacekeeping operation are affecting her domestic affair. 2. Nigeria lack understanding of the nature of the conflict among parties, various forces at play and psychology/beliefs of the combatants before involving in the conflict process. 3. Terrain, climatic conditions as well as other challenges in Darfur has advert effect on the peace keepers. Recommendations proffered are 1. Nigeria should make adequate operational plans, mandate and focus that are well spelt out with achievable objectives before engaging in future peacekeeping operation. 2. Nigeria should understand understanding of the nature of the conflict among parties, various forces at play and psychology/beliefs of the combatants before involving in the conflict process. 3. Nigeria should adequately make necessary provision that will enable the peace keepers perform their duties appropriately and professional.

"I can't escape!": Avoidantly attached individuals' conflict resolution and relationship satisfaction before and during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Increased time spent together and the lockdown resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic may have created new scenarios for marital conflict. We analyzed how home confinement affects avoidantly attached individuals': (a) resolution strategies to cope with couple conflict, (b) perception of partner's resolution strategies, and (c) overall relationship satisfaction. The sample comprised 549 individuals, divided into two subsamples: (a) the confined group, individuals confined with their partners (n = 275); and (b) the comparison group, coupled individuals from a dataset collected before the pandemic (n = 274). Results indicate that the proposed model works in different contexts (non-confinement and confinement situations), but there are some significant differences in the magnitude of some of the relationships between the variables, being stronger in the confinement group than in the comparison group. In the confined group, in individuals with avoidant attachment, withdrawal was associated with lower relationship satisfaction and a higher demand partner perceived to a higher extent than in the comparison group. This might explain the lower satisfaction with the relationship of the confined group. The different conflict resolution strategies of the couple mediated between avoidant attachment and relationship satisfaction in both groups (confined and comparison). It is concluded that individuals' attachment orientation is a key factor in how individuals experienced their close relationships during the confinement.

MANAJEMEN KONFLIK MADRASAH PASCA PANDEMI COVID- 19 DI WILAYAH TAPAL KUDA

The Covid-19 pandemic has created new conflicts within educational institutions, especially madrasas. Moreover, the Tapal Kuda is an area that has a different culture and language so it requires proper conflict management. For this reason, this research is focused on three places, namely MAN 1 Jember, MAN Bondowoso, and MAN 2 Banyuwangi which are in the center of the Tapal Kuda. The purpose of this study is to describe the process of identification, classification, and problem-solving strategies related to conflict management in Madrasas after the Covid-19 pandemic in the Tapal Kuda area. Data mining using observation, documentation, and semi-structured interviews. Data analysis used the Miles and Huberman models, testing the validity of the data using technical triangulation. The results showed that 1) The process of identifying post-covid-19 madrasa conflict management problems in the Tapal Kuda area based on Tosi's conflict theory is still in the first stage in the form of antendants of conflict, 2) The majority conflict classification process is with intragroup, for MAN 2 Banyuwangi with intragroup and intergroup because it deals with stakeholders outside the school, 3) Conflict resolution strategies are in an integrative style because the three madrasas involve many parties and remain open to suggestions and criticism.

The Concept of Nonviolence in Everyday Life of Students: a Focus Group Study

The purpose of this paper is to explore perceptions of theoretical foundations of nonviolence theory by modern students and their willingness to apply ideas of nonviolence to everyday life. The study problem lies in the fact that, in general, the scantily explored phenomenon of nonviolence is mostly studied in the context of philosophical and ethical understanding, ideology, and politics. While the values of nonviolence individual understanding, their local application in everyday life is still remain unexplored. Research design: focus group methodology. In this study, the focus group method was used as the main one for data collection, as it gives participants the opportunity to explore the topic in a focused discussion. Also, a phenomenological or «lived experience» approach was used since it would allow an exploration and understanding of the opinions of student. The focus group topic template included two parts, in the first part the participants discuss and interpret the ideas about the theoretical foundations of the concept of nonviolence, in the second part the focus group members share their own experiences and discussed the possibility of implementing the ideas of the nonviolence concepts in everyday life. The focus group discussions were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim with the permission of the participants. When notes were summarized and analyzed, which allowed researchers to identify five key topics to draw conclusions about the place and role of violence and nonviolence in students’ daily lives. The article shows that the focus group participants mostly share the conceptual ideas of the nonviolence theories, but allow situations in which the use of force is necessary. The conclusions from this article can be used in further research aimed at studying the forms and strategies of conflict resolution in the daily life of youth.

Emotion Regulation Difficulties and Relationship Satisfaction in Adolescent Couples: The Role of Conflict Resolution Strategies.

Emotion regulation difficulties have been found to predict relationship satisfaction in adult samples, yet little is known with regards to the processes explaining these associations in adolescent dating relationships. Furthermore, among the available literature, most studies only consider one romantic partner. To address this gap, this study used a dyadic approach and considered the role of conflict resolution strategies (i.e., positive problem-solving, withdrawal, and conflict engagement) in the association between adolescents' emotion regulation and romantic relationship satisfaction. A sample of 117 heterosexual adolescent couples from Québec, Canada, was recruited (Mage = 17.68, SD = 1.57; 50% female, with 40.60% being in their first romantic relationship, and 48.29% reporting that this relationship was ongoing for more than a year). Results from APIMeM analyses indicated no direct effects between emotion regulation and relationship satisfaction. Significant indirect actor effects indicate that boys and girls with greater emotion regulation difficulties were less satisfied with their relationship via more withdrawal strategies. A partner effect emerged for girls, such that their boyfriend's regulation difficulties and greater withdrawal had a negative impact on their relationship satisfaction. This study identifies withdrawal as a key strategy in explaining the associations between emotion regulation difficulties and relationship satisfaction. Furthermore, it highlights that within adolescent couples, boys' withdrawal can be particularly deleterious to relational well-being.

Promoting self-awareness and conflict management skills in a multicultural setting

Background. Currently, there is a limited perception of how undergraduate students deal with day-to-day conflict. Previous research focusedon conflict resolution strategies, but there is a significant need to understand the nature of conflict as it relates to personality styles. The studyformed part of the teaching of transferable and communication skills combined with a conflict resolution intervention in third-year radiographystudents.Objectives. To promote self-awareness among students and help them to develop conflict management skills to prepare them for their future team-basedprofessional roles.Methods. The study adopted a mixed-method design, focusing on the qualitative results during the reflection period. The third-year radiographystudents were invited to participate in the study. Those who volunteered were provided with an information leaflet and informed consent document.Results. The results indicated two main personality types among the 14 participants, where 30.8% reported as ESFJ (extroverted, sensing, feelingand judging) and 30.8% as ISFJ (introverted, sensing, feeling and judging). The qualitative results indicated that students experienced an increasedawareness of their own and their co-students’ personality types and consequently approached conflict management differently. Reference to socioculturaldifferences also surfaced.Conclusion. The assessment process provided valuable insights into differences and cultural norms associated with personality traits. Results alsohighlighted the need for faculty awareness and focus relating to variations in personality, emotional needs and intrapersonal reflection.

Climate‐related armed conflict and communities' resistance to Rural Grazing Area settlement policy in Nigeria's Middlebelt

AbstractIn Nigeria, resource contests have sparked unending ecological conflict. As a result, conflict resolution measures have been proposed to mitigate climate‐related conflict. However, the acceptance of such policies is hampered by ethnic suspicions, communities' exclusion, religious sensitivities, and a lack of political will. State policies are frequently based on centralized resources, which is exacerbated by the complexities of power relations between central and sub‐national authorities. Thus, this article examines communities' resistance to the Rural Grazing Area (RUGA) settlement policy in Nigeria's Middlebelt using Benue state as a reference point. The study employed a quantitative method using questionnaires. The study used a sample size of 385 questionnaires administered in Guma, Gwer‐West, Gwer‐East, Ukum, and Logo local governments in Benue state. Therefore, the article found that the failure of communities' inclusivity substantially contributed to the local revolt against the RUGA settlement policy. Specifically, the study's findings demonstrate that the possibility of losing ancestral lands, the past experience of the host communities, ethnic and political factors, and poor policy awareness were the primary factors that reinforced communities' resistance to RUGA policy. Moreover, the government's over‐reliance on an authoritarian mechanism and wrong policy choices compounded by a non‐inclusive approach contributed to policy failure to gain acceptability at the grassroots level in Benue state. As an intervention, the article recommends democratically inclusive conflict resolution strategies for climate‐related armed conflict in the region.

Attachment, Growth Fear and Conflict Resolution in Close Relationships

Effectively addressing and resolving conflicts in close relationships plays an important role in maintaining healthy relationships. Therefore, in this study, it is aimed to examine the predictive role of attachment styles (anxiety and avoidance) and the growth fear in close relationships on constructive and destructive conflict resolution strategies in close relationships. A total of 492 individuals, 299 women (60.8%), and 193 men (39.2%) between the ages of 18 and 38 who were romantically involved and married, participated in the study. The outcomes of the multiple regression analysis show that anxiety, avoidance, and growth fear have a predictive role on the effective-destructive 'exit' sub-dimension, which includes abandonment behaviors in conflict resolution. The passive-destructive 'neglect' sub-dimension, which includes conflict-ignoring behaviors, is predicted by anxiety and growth fear. The avoidance and the growth fear negatively predicted the active-constructive 'voice' sub-dimension, which includes the behaviors in which the factors causing conflict are discussed through dialogue. Finally, the passive-constructive 'loyalty' sub-dimension, which includes behaviors such as waiting in hopes that the factors causing conflict will disappear, is predicted positively by the anxiety and negatively by the avoidance. Gender also has a predictive effect on the loyalty sub-dimension. The results obtained from the research were discussed according to the relevant literature, and recommendations were made to mental health experts and researchers. It is hoped that the findings of this study will guide the treatment of conflict resolution processes among partners in relationship counseling processes.

Influence of School Administrators’ Conflict Resolution Strategies on Teachers’ Job Satisfaction

This paper was undertaken to determine the influence of school administrators’ conflict resolution strategies on teachers’ job satisfaction in GTCs of Kano State, Nigeria. A correlational research design was used in the study. 367 respondents comprising of 15 administrators and 352 Technical teachers in GTCs in Kano State form the population of the study. The sample size was 201 respondents selected using simple random sampling technique. Conflict Management Strategies Questionnaire (CMSQ), a structured questionnaire designed by the researchers, served as the data gathering tool. Three experts validated the instrument, and a reliability index of 0.82 was established using Cronbach Alpha. The questions in the study were answered using the mean statistic, and regression analysis with a 0.05 level of significance was used to test the null hypotheses. The findings revealed that: principals in GTCs in Kano State employed the following conflict-resolution techniques: negotiation, arbitration, effective communication, conversation, accommodation, harmonization, adjudication, and smoothing. Furthermore, to a moderate extent, the negotiation conflict management strategy influences teachers' job satisfaction. It was recommended that Government should provide more training for school administrators on the effective ways for conflict management resolution strategy to engender effective conflict resolutions in GTCs that will enhance teachers’ job satisfaction. Additionally, School administrators should encourage their staff to resolve their disputes through dialogue and be ready to abide by the outcome of the dialogue.

UGV Parking Planning Based on Swarm Optimization and Improved CBS in High-Density Scenarios for Innovative Urban Mobility

The existence of information silos between vehicles and parking lots means that Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) repeatedly drive to seek available parking slots, resulting in wasted resources, time consumption and traffic congestion, especially in high-density parking scenarios. To address this problem, a novel UGV parking planning method is proposed in this paper, which consists of cooperative path planning, conflict resolution strategy, and optimal parking slot allocation, intending to avoid ineffective parking seeking by vehicles and releasing urban traffic pressure. Firstly, the parking lot induction model was established and the IACA–IA was developed for optimal parking allocation. The IACA–IA was generated using the improved ant colony algorithm (IACA) and immunity algorithm. Compared with the first-come-first-served algorithm (FCFS), the normal ant colony algorithm (NACA), and the immunity algorithm (IA), the IACA–IA was able to allocate optimal slots at a lower cost and in less time in complex scenarios with multi-entrance parking lots. Secondly, an improved conflict-based search algorithm (ICBS) was designed to efficiently resolve the conflict of simultaneous path planning for UGVs. The dual-layer objective expansion strategy is the core of the ICBS, which takes the total path cost of UGVs in the extended constraint tree as the first layer objective, and the optimal driving characteristics of a single UGV as the second layer objective. Finally, three kinds of load-balancing and unbalanced parking scenarios were constructed to test the proposed method, and the performance of the algorithm was demonstrated from three aspects, including computation, quality and timeliness. The results show that the proposed method requires less computation, has higher path quality, and is less time-consuming in high-density scenarios, which provide a reasonable and efficient solution for innovative urban mobility.

Resetting the forestry commons: Constitutionality as a conflict resolution strategy in African woodlands

This paper comparatively analyses three case studies in Mali, Senegal and Tanzania regarding common property institutions for forest commons and their transformations during colonial and post-colonial times. Then common pool resource management was fragmented and common property was increasingly turned into state and private property and local control over resources was removed. This led to grabbing processes by foreign investors and conflicts between local and outside users of forest resources and degradation of these resources. The paper further outlines the reactions to these processes. It also highlights the neglect of the gender and marginal groups dimensions in studies of constitutionality (developing a sense of local ownership in the bottom-up institution crafting processes for the governance of the commons). In the cases of Mali and Senegal these constitutionality processes were for managing the forest resources. This led to a mitigation of existing resource conflicts. In Tanzania, out of a land-use conflict, local people had managed to create a kind of an informal convention with a British investor about land use in the valleys, which however remains fragile. The conflict arose because women had largely been left out in land deal negotiations and institution-building about the acquired land, as well as were confronted with institution-shopping by the investor and from below by fellow community- and family-men. This impacted heavily on their workload and hampered their abilities to fulfil their care work. Thus, this paper fills the gap on gender (and more differentiated – intersectionality, and generally the involvement of marginal groups) in the constitutionality process to support the “resetting of the forest commons”. These have been neglected factors that need to be addressed for successful forest resources management and governance.

New value creation and family business sustainability: Identification of an intergenerational conflict resolution strategy

Unresolved tensions frequently lead to the failure of family businesses. Parents and their children should be able to work together to resolve protracted problems. This study intends to explore the intergenerational conflict resolution strategy in an effort to develop new family business values and ensure the sustainability of family enterprises. The respondents in this study were 152 family business owners in Eastern Indonesia. The analysis used is PLS-SEM. The results of this study indicate that creating new value requires three intergenerational conflict resolution strategies: intergenerational collaboration, accommodation, and forcing. The results of this study also show that a family business that is able to create new value will be able to have an impact on the sustainability of the family business. This study contributes to the Thomas-Kilmann conflict mode approach, wherein the Thomas-Kilmann conflict mode instrument method leads to the creation of new values and sustainability in family enterprises.

General multi-agent reinforcement learning integrating adaptive manoeuvre strategy for real-time multi-aircraft conflict resolution

Reinforcement learning (RL) techniques are under investigation for resolving conflict in air traffic management (ATM), exploiting their computational capabilities and ability to cope with flight uncertainty. However, the limitations of generalisation make it difficult for existing RL-based conflict resolution (CR) methods to be effective in practice. This paper proposes a general multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL) method that integrates an adaptive manoeuvre strategy to enhance both the solution’s efficiency and the model’s generalisation in multi-aircraft conflict resolution (MACR). A partial observation approach based on the imminent threat detection sectors is used to gather critical environmental information, enabling the model to be applied in arbitrary scenarios. Agents are trained to provide the correct flight intention (such as increasing speed and yawing to the left), while an adaptive manoeuvre strategy generates the specific manoeuvre (speed and heading parameters) based on the flight intention. To address flight uncertainty and performance challenges caused by the intrinsic non-stationarity in MARL, a warning area for each aircraft is introduced. We employ a state-of-the-art Deep Q-learning Network (DQN) method, Rainbow DQN, to improve the efficiency of the RL algorithm. The multi-agent system is trained and deployed in a distributed manner to adapt to real-world scenarios. A sensitivity analysis of uncertainty levels and warning area sizes is conducted to explore their impact on the proposed method. Simulation experiments confirm the effectiveness of the training and generalisation of the proposed method.

Impact of Mediation on Conflict Resolution in Sudan

Purpose: The study sought to analyze the impact of mediation on conflict resolution in Sudan
 Methodology: The study adopted a desktop methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive’s time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library.
 Findings: The results show that mediation can be a valuable tool for resolving conflicts, as it offers the parties involved greater control over the outcome of the dispute and can often bring about a peaceful resolution in a shorter period of time. Mediation has had a positive impact on conflict resolution in Sudan. It has enabled the parties involved in the conflict to engage in dialogue and reach mutually acceptable solutions, while also promoting compromise and cooperation. The agreements reached through mediation have provided a basis for the implementation of the CPA and have helped to address some of the underlying causes of the conflict.
 Unique Contribution to Theory, Practices and Policies: The principled negotiation theory and transformational theory may be used to anchor future studies in the conflict management sector. The study results will also benefit other stakeholders such as the policy makers as well as researchers and scholars from different parts of the world. The top management of conflict management sector in the country will also use the study findings to improve conflict resolution strategies in all their activities and programs. The study recommends that the adoption of effective mediation policies in the leadership conflict management sector will help to improve efficiency in their major operations and activities.

Personality Traits, Interpersonal Conflict Resolution Strategies and Coping Skills Among X, Y, Z Generations

The aim of this study was to determine whether personality traits, interpersonal conflict resolution strategies, and coping skills differ from one another according to the generations (X, Y, Z). Hence, how generations (X, Y, Z) differentiate according to personality traits, conflict resolution approaches, and coping skills was explored. The sample of the study consisted of 433 participants (257 female and 176 male) which are composed of Generation X (n = 141), Generation Y (n = 165), Generation Z (n = 127). The data was obtained by the Demographic Information Form, The Big Five Inventory (BFI), Conflict Communication Scale (CCS) and Coping Skills Scale (The Brief- COPE). Multiple variance analysis (MANOVA) was used to see whether there is a significant difference between BFI, CCS, and the Brief-COPE in terms of Generation X, Generation Y, and Generation Z. The study results demonstrated that there was a statistically significant difference in personality traits according to Generation X, Generation Y, Generation Z. Moreover, Generation X, Generation Y, Generation Z differentiated according to confrontation, emotional expression, and self-disclosure subscale of CCS. However, Generation X, Generation Y, Generation Z did not differentiate in terms of conflict approach/avoidance and public/private behavior level. Furthermore, Generation X, Generation Y, Generation Z differentiated according to substance use, suppression of competing activities, denial, restraint, positive reinterpretation, and planning subscale of the Brief-COPE. In addition, Generation X, Generation Y, Generation Z did not differentiate in terms of instrumental social support, acceptance, humor, venting of emotions, religion, behavioral disengagement, mental disengagement, emotional social support levels.

Global path conflict detection algorithm of multiple agricultural machinery cooperation based on topographic map and time window

Path planning is one of the crucial problems of multi-machine cooperative navigation. In the context of regional farmland operation, multiple agricultural machines often need to complete multiple tasks together. Studies on global path conflict detection algorithms based on topographic maps and time windows have been conducted to solve the global path conflict problem of multiple agricultural machinery cooperation in the farmland operation environment. First, the global path conflict problem of multiple agricultural machinery cooperation was analyzed. The constraints of time window conflict detection and the time parameters to be considered in calculating the time window were proposed. Then, the global path preplanning was performed based on a topographic map and Dijkstra algorithm. According to the path preplanning results, the global path conflict was detected based on the time window. Finally, the global path conflict detection algorithm was simulated on MATLAB with the topographic map of Zhuozhou Experimental Farm as an example. The global path preplanning results show that the four paths overlapped in different degrees at nodes 1, 2, 7, 11, 15, 20, and 27. Path 3 and Path 1 were inclusive interval-type conflicts, and Path 4 and Path 1 were node-type conflicts. Path 3 adopted the change path strategy after the conflicting paths were replanned. The path was changed from [15-11-7-2-1-5-10-14-18-31] to [15-21-24-18-31]. Path 4 adopted the waiting strategy, and its paths did not change. Although the four paths still had different degrees of path overlap, there were no time conflict in the overlapping part of the replanned path. The simulation results show that the global path optimization and path conflict detection of multiple agricultural machinery cooperation could be realized based on the topographic map and time window. Moreover, the conflict resolution strategy with the least time could be obtained to achieve a safe, efficient, and conflict-free global path of multiple agricultural machinery cooperation. Thus, a foundation for further solving the path planning of multiple agricultural machinery cooperation in the complex operation environment of regional farmland is laid.

Holiday planning in Indian families: a dual path model linking family type and conflict resolution

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the effect of parent–adolescent conflict in step versus biological families on family communication patterns (FCPs) and the conflict resolution strategy adopted by adolescents during family destinations or holiday planning (where to visit?).Design/methodology/approachThe literature on family conflict (i.e. parent–adolescent conflict) and the different types of families (step vs nuclear) supported the proposed framework. The survey was conducted in the Indian subcontinent with a sample size of 437 adolescents. SPSS 22.0 was used for factor analysis (exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis) and structural equation modelling was used through AMOS 26.0 for data analysis.FindingsSignificant relationship was observed between the types of families (step and biological), FCP and the resolution strategy chosen by Indian adolescents. Adopting a resolution strategy by adolescents in both families depends on the type of FCP in the family. Adolescents in stepfamilies have socio-oriented FCP and use “positive problem-solving” and “conflict withdrawal” as a resolution strategy. In contrast, adolescents in biological families have concept-oriented families and use “conflict enhancement” as a resolution strategy. It has also been found that adolescents who fall into high-stress categories used conflict enhancement strategies. In contrast, those who fall under low-stress categories used positive problem-solving and withdrawal strategies.Practical implicationsThis study will add a new chapter to adolescents’ decision-making literature in line with the previous research. It has practical implications for tourism marketers, academicians/researchers and policymakers. Marketers can segment adolescents into step versus biological families, and the choice of resolution strategies may introduce efficient and competent marketing strategies and promotional campaigns.Originality/valueThis study favours that family type is a robust construct to predict adolescents’ choice of resolution strategy. So, it is one of the most influential variables in adolescents’ resolution strategy adoption.

The influence of children's emotional comprehension on peer conflict resolution strategies.

Peer conflicts commonly happen in children's daily interaction, and strategies they employed to deal with the conflicts have an impact on peer conflict resolution. It has been illustrated that children's understanding of emotion plays an important role in social communication. However, there is little research focusing on the relation between emotional comprehension and peer conflict resolution strategies. In this study, 90 children of 3 to 6 finished the Test of Emotional Comprehension, and their preschool teachers were required to complete the Conflict Resolution Strategy Questionnaire, which scored each child's conflict resolution strategies. The results showed that: (a) the preference of conflict resolution strategies differed in age, and girls tended to adopt positive strategies; (b) children's emotional comprehension grew with age; and (c) children's conflict resolution strategies and emotional comprehension were closely related. Children's emotional comprehension can positively predict the overall conflict resolution strategies and negatively predicted negative strategies, whereas mental emotional comprehension can positively predict positive strategies. The factors affecting children's emotional comprehension and conflict resolution strategies, and their relationship were discussed in depth.

Heart rate variability may index emotion dysregulation in alcohol-related intimate partner violence.

Intimate partner violence is a serious public health problem that costs the United States more than $4.1 billion in direct medical and mental health costs alone. Furthermore, alcohol use contributes to more frequent and more severe intimate partner violence incidents. Compounding this problem is treatments for intimate partner violence have largely been socially informed and demonstrate poor efficacy. We argue that improvements in intimate partner treatment will be gained through systematic scientific study of mechanisms through which alcohol is related to intimate partner violence. We hypothesize that poor emotional and behavioral regulation as indexed by the respiratory sinus arrythymia measure of heart rate variability is a key mechanism between alcohol use and intimate partner violence. The present study is a placebo-controlled alcohol administration study with an emotion-regulation task that investigated heart rate variability in distressed violent and distressed nonviolent partners. We found a main effect for alcohol on heart rate variability. We also found a four-way interaction whereby distressed violent partners exhibited significant reductions in heart rate variability when acutely intoxicated and attempting to not respond to their partners evocative stimuli. These findings suggest that distressed violent partners may adopt maladaptive emotion regulation strategies such as rumination and suppression when intoxicated and attempting to not respond to partner conflict. Such strategies of emotion regulation have been shown to have many deleterious emotional, cognitive and social consequences for individuals who adopt them, possibly including intimate partner violence. These findings also highlight an important novel treatment target for intimate partner violence and suggest that novel treatments should focus on teaching effective conflict resolution and emotion-regulation strategies that may be augmented by biobehavioral treatments such as heart rate variability biofeedback.

Bargaining and interdependence: Common parent‐offspring conflict resolution strategies among Chon Chuuk and their implications for suicidal behavior

AbstractThe anthropology of Pacific cultures spotlights social conflict as a proximate cause of suicide. Ethnographic accounts suggest that suicidal behaviors are high‐cost conflict‐resolution strategies. We investigate parent‐child conflicts and the strategies adolescents and young adults use to resolve them, using concepts from human behavioral ecology to interpret results from in‐depth, semi‐structured interviews with 58 Chon Chuuk participants. One strategy for resolving conflicts in one's favor is to impose costs through the threat or use of violence, but an alternative strategy for those who lack social power or formidability involves social withdrawal, or withholding cooperation, until the interdependent parties reach an agreement. The Chuukese term amwunumwun refers to a spectrum of social withdrawal, including avoidance, running away, and suicide. Strategies involving withholding cooperation were the most reported child behavioral response. As predicted, low‐cost strategies, such as negotiation, were associated with nonsevere conflicts (e.g., playing with friends), whereas high‐cost withholding cooperation, such as running away, was associated with severe conflicts (e.g., labor exploitation). Importantly, withholding cooperation was often, but not always, associated with outcomes favoring the child. We propose that withholding cooperation is a culturally ubiquitous strategy, ranging from avoidance to suicidality, used by the powerless to achieve more favorable outcomes. [adolescence, parent‐offspring conflict, suicide, Micronesia]