Adolescent Coping Strategies in Social Conflict in Relation to Self-Esteem and Cognitive Appraisal of a Conflict

The aim of the research was to assess the role of self-esteem and cognitive appraisal of a conflict in generating  destructive and constructive strategies of coping used by adolescents in social conflict situations. The following research tools have been used in the research: the Self-Esteem Scale (SES) developed by M. Rosenberg, adapted by M. Łaguna, K. Lachowicz-Tabaczek, and I. Dzwonkowska; the Stress Appraisal Questionnaire (SAQ) (Polish: KOS – Kwestionariusz Oceny Stresu) by D. Włodarczyk and K. Wrześniewski; as well as the Questionnaire for the study of adolescents’coping strategies employed in social conflict situations (Polish: KSMK – Kwestionariusz strategii radzenia sobie młodzieży w sytuacji konfliktu społecznego) developed by D. Borecka-Biernat. The empirical research was carried out in middle schools (Polish: gimnazjum). The research involved 893 adolescents (468 girls and 425 boys) aged 13–15. Analysis of research results indicates that in the case of adolescents, lower assessment of one’s capacities and the appraisal of conflict in terms of threat or harm/loss, generally coincides with the tendency to react destructively when faced with a conflict. The research has also  indicated that an adolescent with higher self-esteem, when involved in a conflict that is not assessed as threatening, implements a constructive strategy to cope with the situation.