A Qualitative Study Of Conflicts Between Young Couples

Couple conflict is the problem that every family faces.How handling conflict is one of the key factors of marital happiness.This research adopts a qualitative research paradigm and uses interview data to analyze the Chinese young couples' ways of dealing with conflicts based on the grounded theory and to refine the general rules in dealing with conflicts between spouses.Study 1 explores the positive and negative conflict coping styles by analyzing the interview data of 13 married women.The results of the study indicate that the positive conflict coping styles of married women fall into three categories:emotional,cognitive,and practical.First,managing emotions,then,Cognitive include self-reflection adjustment,empathy,appropriate compromise and a certain degree of autonomy.Last,Good practical methods include accurate expression,recall beautiful moments,coping conflicts as soon as possible,indirect way settlement etc.Negative coping styles include excessive power,indifferent avoidance,guessing,bring up old scores again and parental intervention.Study 2 explores the positive and negative conflict copying styles of 11 married men by analyzing interview data.The results of the study show that the positive conflict coping methods include seeking common grounds while reserving differences,mutual respect,finding the taste of life,and improving oneself abilities.Negative conflict coping styles are alienated and can not tolerate moderately.Study 3 compares the conflict coping styles of women and men.It analyzes the similarities and differences between men and women in coping with conflicts,and verifies that women Demand and men Evasive patterns in conflict.The interview data provided two key points in time when young couples were prone to conflict:the preparation of the wedding period and the maternity period,and summarized ten common events that triggered couples' conflicts,including the original family relationships,children's issues,household&trivia and economic aspects etc.Finally,Discussing four issues:the relationship between rationality and sensibility when dealing with conflict between husbands and wives,what the marriage is running-in,the Demand and Escaping mode of husband and wife conflict,and the positive significance of husband and wife conflict.