ASSESSING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COUNSELLING INTERVENTIONS STRATEGIES AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION STYLES APPLIED BY COUNSELLORS IN LAGOS STATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Abstract

Conflicts that range from peer disputes to internal emotional struggles are common experiencesduring adolescents’ development, which are often worsened by social, psychological and academic pressures. School counsellors play a vital role in guiding adolescent through these challenges using various intervention strategies. This research examined the relationship between counselling interventions and the conflict resolution styles adopted by counsellors working with adolescents in secondary schools. Specifically, it investigated how techniques such as mediation, cognitive-behavioral therapy, empathy, and emotional regulation influence the choice of conflict resolution strategies. Guided by two research questions and one hypothesis tested at 0.05 level of significance, the study adopted a correlational survey design. Data were collected from 234 school counselling cases across 24 selected secondary schools Lagos State using stratified and simple random sampling. Data were examined using visual descriptors, mean score and Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. Findings revealed that collaborative and compromising conflict resolution styles were the most commonly used. Mediation and empathy-based interventions were also frequently employed counselling interventions. A statistically significant but weak positive correlation (r = 0.191, p < 0.05) was found between the counselling interventions and conflict resolution styles adopted. These results suggest that effective counselling practices contribute to more constructive conflict resolution among adolescents. The study underscoring the need for comprehensive training and consistent implementation of evidence-based interventions in school counselling programmes to support adolescent development and foster a harmonious school environment.