Abstract:

The purpose of this study is to find out whether 6th, 7th and 8th graders ask any help from school counsellor for resolving their conflicts with peers and to describe gender, socioeconomic and grade level differences. The study also aims to identify what conflicts students seek assistance for from school counsellor and what strategies students think school counsellor used in dealing with their conflicts. 6th, 7th and 8th graders attending five different schools at Seyhan and Yüreğir districts in Adana participated for the study. 451 primary school students completed the questionnaire involved mostly openended questions. Qualitative data obtained from open-ended questions were analysed by using content analysis technique. Frequencies and percentages of themes and concepts derived from the content analysis were computed. In addition, differences between students' gender, grade and socio-economic level in terms of seeking counsellor help were examined by using ?2. Results showed that only one fifth of students asked help from school counsellor. Female students were more likely to seek assistance than male students. Student related reasons were among most observed reasons followed by counsellor and problem related factors. School counsellor used such constructive strategies as talking, offering suggestions, giving information, finding solution, listening, calming students down, warning and mediating for resolving students' conflicts. Summary Conflicts occur unavoidably between two persons or groups. However, solving conflicts in a positive or negative way is the most important thing about conflicts (McFarland, 1992). The way of handling conflicts either cooperatively or competitively determines whether its result will be constructive or destructive (Deutsch, 1994). Thus, it can be said that it is not the conflict itself but the way of handling it makes the conflict good or bad. If disputes are handled in a cooperative way it is more likely to have positive results, if it is approached in a competitive way it tends to produce negative results. Several kinds of conflicts occur among students in school settings. However, many students do not have necessary skills to resolve inter-personal conflicts constructively. Since these conflicts gradually become destructive educators emphasized the need for training on conflict resolution and peer mediation at schools (Stevahn, Johnson, Johnson and Real, 1996). There is an increasing need for effective resolution of conflicts at schools and wider society in general. However, teachers and administrators see conflicts as a kind of problem that should be avoided instead of seeing them problems are resolved either positively or negatively. Many teachers are not aware of the strategies that can be used to prevent conflicts become worse. Actually, strategies used in schools (including bully the bully strategy) present a negative role model of power use and make problem even worse (Stacey, 1996). There are considerable number of studies on students' conflicts and the way of resolving these conflicts in related literature. Physical aggression or fighting, playground disputes, access or possession conflicts, turn-taking disputes, put-downs and insults, and academic work conflicts were reported by elementary school children (Johnson and Johnson, 1994). Physical aggression, fighting and swearing seem to occur frequently as a problem in schools (Türnüklü and Sahin, 2002; Johnson, Johnson, Dudley and Açıkgöz, 1995). Johnson, Johnson Dudley (1992) found that destructive strategies such as verbal threats, withdrawal, telling the teacher and restating demands are often used by students for managing conflicts. Similarly, aggressive responses such as name-calling, teasing and exercising power over another often emerged as a response to conflict (Theberge and Karan, 2004). Despite aggressive responses to conflicts among students some studies indicated that solution oriented strategies (Thayer, 2005), asking adult and friends' help and negotiating are also implied by students (Theberge ve Karan, 2004). According to the results of studies related to conflict resolution strategies students try to use several ways to solve their conflicts that they come cross at school. As some conflicts remained unresolved students try to use their own ways as well as ask help from others in resolving conflicts. Since school counselors are supposed to help students enhance their problem solving skills it is necessary to examine the kind of help students can get from school counselor and strategies used by the counselor in resolving students' conflicts. The Purpose of Study The purpose of this study is to find out whether 6th, 7th and 8th graders ask any help from school counselor for resolving their conflicts and identify gender, socio-economic and grade level difference. The study also aims to identify what conflicts students seek assistance for from school counselor and what strategies students think school counselor used in dealing with their conflicts. Following research questions were formulated in this study. Research Questions 1. Is there any difference among students for asking counselor help according to their gender, grade level and socio-economic level? 2. What are the reasons for not asking help from school counselor? 3. Which conflicts do students apply for counselor? 4. Which strategies school counselor use to resolve students' conflict? 5. Do students think school counselors are helpful for resolving conflicts? Method 6th, 7th and 8th graders attending five different schools at Seyhan and Yüreğir District in Adana participated for the study. 451 primary school students completed the questionnaire involved mostly open-ended questions. The kind of conflicts students ask help from school counselor,

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