Causes of Conflict and Conflict Resolution Styles among Bahir Dar University Students

Abstract

This study examined the causes of conflict and conflict resolution styles among university students. The participants were 390 (49 female and 341 male) sophomore (87.7%), junior (5.6%), and senior (6.7%) university students. Students identified themselves as Amhara, Oromo, Tigre, and as belonging to other ethnic groups. Results from qualitative analysis indicated that the major sources of conflict were ethnicity, religious diversity, defying rules, and sexual and love affairs, in that order. Students reported that the major conflict resolution styles were compromise, avoiding, third-party mediation, and dominating. Results from quantitative analysis, on other hand, showed that integration, compromise, and obliging were the most frequently used styles of conflict resolution. ANOVA showed that sex differences were found in dominating in favour of males. Ethnic differences were observed in integration and dominating, the Oromo tending to use more of integration than Amhara and Tigre, dominating being used by Amhara and Tigre. Amhara and Tigre students use dominating more recurrently than Oromo and other groups. Discussions on major findings and implications for preventive interventions are included. Ethiopian Journal of Development Research Vol. 29 (1) 2007: pp. 35-70