High Levels Of Conflict Research Articles

Underorganized Interorganizational Domains: The Case of Refugee Systems

This article uses the example of refugee systems-the government, nongovernment, and refugee organizations that are involved in the reception of asylum seekers; the determination of refugee status; and the settlement of refugees-to further our understanding of under organized interorganizational domains. The comparison of Canada, the United Kingdom, and Denmark demonstrates that there are different forms of under organization. Domains may be underdeveloped due to a lack of convergence around key values, the exclusion of relevant stakeholders, or both. The nature of under organization has implications for the political processes that occur in them. Accordingly, the example of refugee systems alerts us to a potential irony: Domains that seem to be relatively organized and that display a higher degree of collaboration may have excluded key stakeholders who threaten existing domain definitions; whereas domains that display high levels of conflict and disorganization may do so precisely because all the relevant stakeholders have secured equal access to the domain and are able to influence its definition. These findings have been drawn from a comparative study of refugee systems in the three countries. This study used in-depth interviews and archival data to compare the structure, values, and relations of stakeholder groups in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Denmark. Interviews were carried out with 81 civil servants, politicians, nongovernmental organization (NGO) officials, and refugees. Documentary and archival evidence was drawn from a wide variety of sources.

Motivational subtypes in an inpatient sample of substance abusers

Motivational subgroups in a sample of inpatient substance abusers were identified to facilitate future development of treatment interventions aimed at enhancing compliance and involvement. The modified Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scales from 165 subjects were subject to factor and cluster analyses. Results suggest the instrument assesses three dimensions: determination, action, and contemplation. Using these dimensions, three subgroups were identified: Uninvolved, Ambivalent, and Active. There were no differences on demographic or background variables or Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory 2 (MMPI-2) profiles. The Uninvolved group scored significantly lower than the other two groups on measures of alcohol use and abuse. The Ambivalent and Active groups did not differ on any of the measures of alcohol use and abuse. The Ambivalent group demonstrated a high level of conflict and inaction. The Active group appeared to be aware of their dependence and were ready to change their behavior. The results have implications for treatment matching and enhancing treatment motivation.

ENHANCING EFFECTIVENESS: AN INVESTIGATION OF ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF VALUE‐BASED INTRAGROUP CONFLICT

This study investigates the benefits and detriments of emotional and task‐related conflict in work groups. Group value consensus (GVC), or the extent to which group members share values, and group value fit (GVF), or the degree to which the culture of the group matches the ideal culture envisioned by external parties with control over the group, are hypothesized to decrease conflict. In examining 88 workgroups performing comparable organizational tasks, it was found that groups with low levels of value similarity among members and between the group and governing superiors had higher levels of conflict than groups with high levels of value similarity. As hypothesized, emotional conflict was negatively associated with group performance and satisfaction, while task conflict was positively associated with group performance. The implications of these results for conflict management and group effectiveness are discussed.

PRE‐CONTEMPT/CONTEMNORS GROUP DIVERSION COUNSELING PROGRAM

This article describes the Los Angeles County Family Court Services Pre‐Contempt/Contemnors Group Diversion Program. This program was designed to deal with the continuing problem of parents who have high levels of conflict, are chronically in violation of custody and visitation court orders, and seek frequent court intervention. This article is merely a description of the program. A second article (to be published in a later issue) will report the immediate and 6‐month to 1‐year impact of the program on the client.

The Experience and Effects of Conflict in Continuing Work Groups

The study described in this article deals with antecedents and consequences of experienced conflict in continuing work groups. Three variables affect the level of conflict that group members experience. (a) The type of task a group is working on affects the level of experienced conflict, with mixed-motive tasks yielding the most conflict and collaborative tasks yielding the least conflict. (b) A major change in the group's communication medium leads to increased conflict. (c) In contrast, a major change in group membership (one member leaves, and another member joins the group) results in decreased conflict. Overall, conflict reduces task performance effectiveness and is accompanied by less positive affect toward the group. But groups with consistently high levels of conflict perform better than low-conflict groups on mixed-motive tasks in which high levels of conflict are inherent.

Familial Conflict and Attitudes Toward Marriage

The present study examined the relationship between current and past familial conflict, as perceived by college students, and their current attitudes toward marriage. This study also explored the relationship between the family structure in which the students lived (intact vs. divorced) and their current attitudes toward divorce. Contrary to expectations, perceived levels of conflict were not significantly related to attitudes toward marriage, and family structure was not a significant predictor of attitudes toward divorce. Compared to students from intact homes, students from divorced homes reported significantly higher levels of conflict in their homes while growing up. Implications of these findings and limitations and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Schizophrenia in British Afro-Caribbeans: Two Debates Confused?

The concept and aetiology of schizophrenia remain controversial issues. Epidemiological studies reveal considerable variations in rates of diagnosed cases between groups. British Afro-Caribbeans show high rates. At the same time, their psychiatric experience is marked by a high level of conflict with the psychiatric services. The two debates--that surrounding the concept of schizophrenia, and that concerning the psychiatric experiences of British Afro-Caribbeans--need to be separated so that each receives appropriate consideration. Studies based on the experiences of people diagnosed as schizophrenic may confuse rather than advance the first debate if due care is not paid to the reliability of the diagnosis. The second debate has consequences for the development of psychiatric services. Further unaddressed questions referring to the mental health of ethnic minorities are suggested.

Psychosomatic Musculoskeletal Pain in Childhood: Clinical and Psychological Analyses of 100 Children

The clinical and psychological findings on 100 children with psychosomatic musculoskeletal pain seen at a major pediatric rheumatology referral center are reported. Most (76%) were female, median age was 13 years, and median duration of symptoms was 1 year. Multiple painful sites were common (66%). The pain was constant (63%) or intermittent (37%); 45% had hyperesthesia, and almost all maintained a cheerful affect when complaining of severe pain. Two predominant abnormal family milieu were seen. One was cohesive, stable, and organized, but intolerant of separation and individuation. The other was chaotic, emotionally unsupportive, with high levels of conflict. Members of the cohesive family type reported significantly less distress than members of chaotic families. Enmeshment between mother and child was common in both family types. Although frequently viewed as bright, most of these children had normal intelligence, and some had unrecognized academic difficulty. These children, compared with those with arthritis, had a significantly lower global well-being score. Clinical depression was unusual (11%). Most (97%) responded favorably to intensive physical and occupational therapy along with individual or family psychotherapy; 78% become symptom free or fully functional. Children with these signs and symptoms should have full psychological evaluations and respond well to treatment directed toward decreasing pain and restoring function.

Cognitive and interpersonal factors in woman abuse

As part of a larger ecological analysis of woman battering in Israel, this study examined the combined ability of selected cognitive and interpersonal measures to differentiate among couples in which women were battered and those in which they were not. The ability of these variables to predict men's physical violence and verbal abuse and women's verbal abuse was also executed. Results indicate that a combination of low marital adjustment, high levels of conflict over children, and more perceived self-control over one's life characterized violent men; low marital adjustment and high conflict over child rearing characterized battered women. Both men's and women's verbal abuse was moderately predicted by lower marital adjustment while men's physical violence was predicted by increased levels of conflicts with his partner over child rearing. These findings suggest the importance of marital relationship factors in domestic violence and highlight the need for further study of the interaction between perceived control and marital relationship problems in relationships where men physically abuse women.

Relationship States in an International Marketing Channel

Research into the relationship of UK exporting manufacturers and their West German agents and distributors is examined. The mail questionnaire was the selected research instrument. Four participant dimensions were used in the evaluation and categorisation of relationship states. These were performance; experience; uncertainty and satisfaction. Relationships were found to be in one of five possible states of development: new; growing; troubled; static; or declining. Few firms were found in the new category; the largest state was that of growing. Once in the growing state, firms may move eventually into one of the remaining categories over time. The troubled state was categorised by high levels of conflict, uncertainty and dissatisfaction. The static state consisted of firms with static sales. The declining state consisted of firms whose sales were declining but the relationship was profitable and worth continuing.

Parent-Adolescent Conflict and Adolescent Injuries

Several studies have linked cumulative measures of stress to injuries, however none have examined the relationship between a prevalent stressor in adolescence, conflict between the parent and adolescent, and injuries. Data for this study came from 8231 British adolescents born one week in 1958 who had information on injuries between ages 15 and 17 available. A conflict scale was devised by summing mothers' assessments of the frequency of arguments with their 16-year-old offspring about eight problem areas. This scale had a linear association with injury rates for both boys and girls. Adolescent boys with high levels of conflict (greater than 90th percentile on conflict scale) had 2.9 times the rate of injuries resulting in hospitalization compared with boys from low conflict families (less than 25th percentile), and 1.6 times the number of injuries resulting in outpatient care. Girls with high levels of conflict had 2.9 times the hospitalized injuries and 1.8 times the rate of less severe injuries compared with girls with low conflict. These findings suggest that conflictual parent-adolescent relationships may be an indicator of increased injuries in adolescents.

The Concept of Stability in the Context of Conventional War in Europe

`Stability' is a widely used concept in strategic analysis, especially in the context of nuclear strategy. This article examines the meaning of the term, and shows how it can be usefully applied to problems of conventional war, especially as these problems apply to Europe. In scientific usage, stability is the condition in which a slight disturbance in a system does not produce too disturbing an effect on that system. Traditionally, military writings in both East and West have been more deeply concerned with balance than with stability. In Europe today there is a paradox of strategic stability: the danger of instability at high levels of conflict promotes stability at low levels. Nevertheless, there are many political problems in Europe that are potential causes of instability and that should not be ignored. Attending to the problems of strategic stability also means a concern with linkages between conventional and nuclear war, vulnerabilities of armies to surprise attacks, maintenance of command and control, the relative strength of the defense compared to the offense, and the subtle interacting effects of dispersal, alert, and mobilization.

Inequality in divorce settlements: An investigation of property settlements and child support awards

Men and women have unequal access to economic resources, but couples vary in the degree to which husbands have power over wives. Inequality between husbands and wives affects marital interaction as well as decisions to dissolve a marriage. This paper investigates the degree to which the financial terms of divorce settlements reflect parents' relative power to achieve their goals and the competition between their own self-interest and altruistic concern for their children. We argue that consensus-oriented views of divorce negotiations that posit trade-offs between property and child support awards ignore inequality between bargainers and the high level of conflict that characterize most divorces. A description of the division of property and child support awards for a representative sample of recent divorces cases sets the stage for the examination of inequality in settlements. We find that although property settlements have little effect on postdivorce differences in custodial mothers' and noncustodial fathers' economic status, property settlements are worth between one- and two-thirds of child support awards. The high value of property settlements compared to support awards shows that trade-offs between property settlements and support are feasible. They are, however, uncommon. The majority of divorce settlements are the outcome of negotiations between unequal parties and result in one spouse acquiring both a favorable property settlement and a favorable child support award. Only among couples in which husbands and wives have similar incomes do the final outcomes reflect trade-offs between property settlements and child support awards.

Choice, Race, and Public Schools: The Adoption and Implemention of a Magnet Program

: Attention to the role of choice in American schools has shifted from its effect on the racial composition of the student body to its potential effect on the quality of education provided to students. This article focuses on the adoption and implementation of a series of elementary level magnet schools in Montgomery County, Maryland, as a means for identifying some of the political and organizational dynamics likely to accompany an expanded reliance on prochoice mechanisms. Implementation of choice options in public school systems, it is concluded, will entail more difficult trade offs, higher levels of conflict, and a more affirmative role for the public sector than is commonly presumed.

Parents' Coping and Communication following Their Infant'S Death

The purpose of this study was: 1) to examine whether mothers and fathers utilize similar or different coping strategies to deal with the death of their infant, and 2) to explore whether discordant parental coping was associated with communication difficulties. Twenty-seven couples who had experienced a stillbirth, neonatal death, or Sudden Infant Death within the previous six to twenty-seven months were asked to participate. Two constructs were measured: (a) Coping was assessed with the Ways of Coping Checklist and the Coping with the Death of a Child instrument and (b) Communication was measured with the Marital Communication Inventory. Mothers and fathers independently completed these three questionnaires. Mothers and fathers differed in their use of only three of the fourteen coping strategies examined. Thus, mothers' and fathers' coping strategies, six to twenty-seven months post-loss, were more concordant than discordant. Mothers used seeking social support, escape-avoidance strategies, and preoccupation to a significantly greater extent than did fathers. Important predictors of mothers' coping strategies were the infant's age and time since the death, while for fathers the important predictors were the infant's gender and the family income level. For couples whose coping was discordant, mothers perceived higher levels of conflict in their communication with their spouses as compared to couples whose coping was concordant.

Origins of Psychogenic Vaginismus

Case histories of 22 women seeking psychotherapy for psychogenic vaginismus were examined for family patterns. Nearly all of the women had domineering, threatening fathers who were moralistic but also sexually seductive. The parents of these women had high levels of conflict and verbal and/or physical abuse in their marriages. The women with vaginismus were the 'good girls' of their families; obedient, unable to express anger and in constant need of approval. These women tend to choose partners who appear to be the opposite of their fathers; they seem kind, gentle and often passive. Both the women and their partners fear aggression. Women with vaginismus see intercourse as violation or invasion. The symptom serves to protect against violation. Most of the women either witnessed or experienced actual physical violation in their histories.

Startle and Reward-Based Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict

Using 30 male rats in a within-subjects design, the hypothesis was tested that avoidance-avoidance conflict based on the omission of food reward in a two-choice discrimination task would result in a more intense acoustic startle reaction than would the absence of such conflict. To maintain a high level of conflict, training days were interspersed between test days. Data showed no differences between conflict and nonconflict conditions.

The R&D/production interface: A case study of new product commercialization

The R&D/production interface is a key component of the innovation process. Effective transfer of technology across this interface has a direct bearing on the success of commercializing new technologies. Martin Ginn and Albert Rubenstein intensively studied three strategic business units of a major chemical company to examine how behavioral and performance variables interrelate for the key participants. The interface was found to be a key focus for interpersonal conflict. The conflict was found to be exacerbated by such factors as goal incompatibility, manufacturing complexity, uncertainty of product outcomes, exercises of power, and imperatives for action. Interestingly, projects which were more successful, both technically and commercially, tended to have higher levels of conflict and more superordinate goals than those that were less successful. Increasing compatibility of goals among participating groups is suggested as a means for improving interface relations.

The R&D/Production Interface: A Case Study of New Product Commercialization

The R&D/production interface is a key component of the innovation process. Effective transfer of technology across this interface has a direct bearing on the success of commercializing new technologies. Martin Ginn and Albert Rubenstein intensively studied three strategic business units of a major chemical company to examine how behavioral and performance variables interrelate for the key participants. The interface was found to be a key focus for interpersonal conflict. The conflict was found to be exacerbated by such factors as goal incompatibility, manufacturing complexity, uncertainty of product outcomes, exercises of power, and imperatives for action. Interestingly, projects which were more successful, both technically and commercially, tended to have higher levels of conflict and more superordinate goals than those that were less successful. Increasing compatibility of goals among participating groups is suggested as a means for improving interface relations.

Family characteristics of 105 patients with bulimia.

The authors compared 105 patients who met DSM-III criteria for bulimia with 86 control subjects on measures of family environment and presence of eating disorders. Bulimic patients' perceptions of their families included low cohesiveness, a lack of emphasis on independent and assertive behavior, and a high level of conflict coupled with a low emphasis on open expression of feelings. Families of bulimic subjects had achievement expectations comparable to those of control families, but the former placed less emphasis on intellectual and recreational activities. The high disorganization of the families of bulimic subjects was associated with severity of symptoms.