| Conflict as a process, is by nature interpersonal and has implications for all walks of life, ranging from marital discord to the onset of wars and attempts to broker peace. However, despite the implications of this construct for group counseling, the study of conflict in small group dynamics has received a paucity of attention (Burlingame, 2004). Drawing from previous research (Kivlighan & Anglone, 1992), factors including Status Dissatisfaction, Trait and State Anxiety, Interpersonal Style and measures of group climate were analyzed in relation to members' perception of group conflict. Group members (n=90) were taken from experiential training (n=19) groups in two Universities. Measures of Interpersonal Style and Trait Anxiety were taken pre-group. After sessions 2, 3 and 4 measures were taken of group climate (avoidance, engagement and conflict) and State Anxiety to assess the dynamic processes involved in early group development. The effect of group members' interpersonal style along the continua of Affiliation and Control were then integrated into this analysis to account for the impact of personality style on perceptions of conflict. Paired t-tests showed significance change for conflict between times one and two and for engagement and state anxiety between times two and three. Status satisfaction predicted conflict within time points and also between time point two and three. Cross panel time lag designs demonstrated a clearer set of significant relationships with state anxiety than conflict. |
