An investigation of 6th, 7th and 8th graders' conflict resolution strategies regarding their empathic level at secondary schools

iiiABSTRACTAN INVESTIGATION OF 6TH, 7TH AND 8TH GRADERS? CONFLICTRESOLUTION STRATEGIES REGARDING THEIR EMPATHICLEVEL AT SECONDARY SCHOOLS.Elife REHBERMaster Thesis, Departman of Educational SciencesAdvisor: Assistant Prof. Dr. Meral ATICIJune 2007, 93 PagesThe main purpose of this study was to examine 6th, 7th and 8th graders? conflictresolution strategies regarding their empathic level at secondary schools. Additionallystudents? empathic level and their conflict resolution strategies were examined in termsof their gender, socio- economic level and grade level.755 students from five secondary schools in Nevşehir participated to the study.Empathic Tendency Scale (Dökmen, 1988) and Conflict Resolution Behavior Scale( Koruklu, 1998) were used to collect data. Moreover, interviews were conducted with40 voluntary students.Students with low and high empathic level were compared with regard to theiraggressiveness and problem solving strategies. T test was used to analyse data..Results showed that students with low empathic level had higher scores onaggressiveness while students with high empathic level had higher scores on problemsolving and lower scores on aggressiveness. Morever, ıt was found that girls' empathiclevel and their problem solving scores were higher than those of boys.Key Words: Empathy, Empathic tendency, Conflict, Conflict resolution