During August 2026 two headlines in one of the local newspapers were stories of interpersonal conflict. The headlines screamed ‘CMU student stabbed to death during fight over bath pan’ and ‘Brother wanted after sibling stabbed to death in Portmore dispute’. Both stories have stark similarities but different triggers, and both have demonstrated a typical habit in interpersonal conflicts whereby high priority is given to defending one’s own interest, resulting in a lose-lose outcome.

These two incidences add to the growing statistics of violence in our country. With interpersonal conflicts, people react as though there are genuinely different goals, there is not enough of some resources, and the other person is getting in the way of something prized by the perceiver.

Perception and conflict are inextricably tied, and it has long been debated whether conflict arises from human nature or whether systems influence this type of behaviour. It could be argued that both can act as a catalyst.

A 2023 study done by UNICEF, Jamaica Violence Against Children and Youth Survey, revealed that over 75 per cent of young people aged 13-24 experience some violence during their lifetime. It also showed that physical violence affects 60.6 per cent of boys and 53.2 per cent of girls. There are many dynamics at play that contributed to the findings.

The causes and effects of interpersonal conflict are far-reaching and varied, often producing profound psychological and social consequences for individuals, families, and wider stakeholder groups. While the glare of media headlines may fade after what is sometimes described as a “nine-day wonder”, family members can be left to carry the emotional and psychological burden long after public attention. This burden may persist for years, and in some cases, a lifetime.

A leading local counselling institution has identified several consequences associated with this type of conflict, including emotional, mental, and behavioural difficulties. At the individual level, these may manifest as fear, irritability, declining academic performance, and, in some cases, thoughts of reprisal.

The impact can be equally damaging at the family level, at which conflict may undermine relationships, erode trust, and contribute to family dysfunction. In more severe cases, it can result in the separation of family members, with children often bearing a particularly heavy emotional burden. There are also many instances in which children become wards of the State through the intervention of the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) or are placed in the care of other family members.

At the community level, interpersonal conflict can generate fear, embarrassment, and a sense of insecurity among residents while also contributing to negative perceptions and stigma directed towards the wider community. The effects can be profound, leaving enduring scars that impact not only those directly affected but also families, communities, and future generations.

Conflicts, though unavoidable and sometimes constructive, can be resolved without violence. A senior psychologist at one of our established counselling centres observed that most conflicts are resolved through the intervention of a third party, whether an individual or an institution. These third-party interveners possess varying levels of training, expertise, and capacity. In many cases, family members, friends, teachers, pastors, counsellors, and legal professionals serve as agents of intervention, helping to facilitate dialogue, mediate disputes, and support the resolution process. She went on further to state that the modes of intervention employed are counselling and therapy, mediation, negotiation, arbitration, and may move to higher levels such as the justice system.

Conflict resolution policies and intervention measures seem to be aspirational as some outcomes have worked better than others. This may be so as conflict is a dynamic process in which structure and attitudes are constantly changing. I am conflicted with the pervasiveness of negative interpersonal conflicts in our society and how this has become accepted.

The way forward may lie not only in reforming existing laws — in keeping with the recommendations from the UNICEF survey — but also in strengthening frameworks and social programmes promoting non-violence.

To dispel the notion that conflict must end in violence, urgent and targeted intervention is needed. The goal is not to eliminate conflict, which is a natural aspect of human interaction, but to equip individuals with conflict resolution skills. This can be achieved through dialogue, mutual understanding, and guiding disputed parties towards a zone of possible agreement in which differences are addressed peacefully and amicably.

Desrine Lawson is a PhD student at Nova Southern University in Florida. Send comments to the jamaicaobserver or desrinel@yahoo.com.