Coping with culture-based conflict: implications for counseling research and practice.

ABSTRACT

Interpersonal conflict related to sociocultural group membership was examined with a multicultural university sample. The Social Group Conflict Scale (SGCS), collective self-esteem (CSE), and Bradburn affect scale were administered to 248 university students. The current study attempted to replicate and extend the findings on social group-based conflict recently proposed by Dunbar, Sue, and Liu. Results indicated that 51% of the subjects reported encountering interpersonal conflict attributable to their social group memberships, with ethnicity being the most frequently attributed group category. Significant gender and ethnic differences were noted in coping approach employed in responding to the conflict event. The current findings are considered in regard to effectively assessing and responding to intercultural conflict for mental health practice.