Estratégias de Resolução de Conflitos no 1.º Ciclo em Contextos de Diversidade Cultural

Abstract

This study examines conflict resolution strategies among children in primary school education, with the aim of investigating how children respond to different hypothetical and real-life scenarios, both with and without cultural diversity. Thirty children aged 9-10 participated in the study and were presented with three scenarios: conflict situations without cultural diversity, conflict situations involving cultural diversity, and real-life conflicts drawn from their own experiences. Children's responses were coded using the "Escolas 2030" and the conceptual criteria proposed by Hardy et al. (2024). The findings revealed statistically significant differences between responses to hypothetical scenarios and real-life situations. In real-life contexts, children were more likely to seek assistance from an adult and tended to adopt less sophisticated conflict resolution strategies than those proposed in hypothetical scenarios. Girls and children with higher academic achievement provided more complex and appropriate responses in the hypothetical situations; however, these differences were no longer evident in responses to real-life conflicts. Contrary to expectations, no differences were found in children's responses to scenarios with and without cultural diversity. The study highlights the variability in individual children's responses across different contexts and reinforces the importance of having Social and Emotional Learning into the school to promote intercultural communities. Although the sample size was relatively small, the findings underscore the need for inclusive pedagogical practices that are responsive to the increasing diversity of Portuguese schools. Keywords: Conflict Resolution, Cultural Diversity, Primary School Children.