The aim of the study is to determine reasons and frequency of interpersonal conflicts’ and conflict resolution strategies in adolescents’ romantic relationships.

This study involved 125 students (X-XI grades), 94 (75,2%) of them had romantic relationships in the last 12 months, while 42 (44,7%) had romantic relationships during the time of the study. Overall, 50 females (53,2%) and 44 males (46,8%) were participating in this research. The study was accomplished in Kaunas Steponas Darius and Stasys Girenas Gymnasium.

The Rahim Organisational Conflict Questionnaire – II (ROCI - II) was chosen for the evaluation of the conflict resolution strategies in adolescents’ romantic relationships. The questionnaire has 28 statements defining the behavior with the romantic partner during the conflict. ROCI – II evaluates 5 conflict resolution strategies: integration, adaptation, domination, avoidance and compromise. General internal reliability of ROCI – II and internal reliability of single questionnaire scales are sufficient. Questions evaluating conflict reasons and the frequency in adolescents’ romantic relationships were used in this study also. The participants of the study were asked to answer some questions about their romantic relationships, too: how satisfied they are with their romantic relationships, what is the duration of the romantic relationships, when did they start dating with their first partner, how frequently they are meeting each other, etc.

The study results revealed that conflicts in adolescents’ romantic relationships usually emerge regarding jealousy, distrust, leisure time, relationships with friends, opinion disagreement, duration of the time spent together and individual differences. Gender differences in conflicts’ reasons were also found. Males had more conflicts about sexual relationships than females in their romantic relationships. No gender differences in other reasons of conflicts in adolescents’ romantic relationships were found.

In the romantic relationships, males more frequently experience small and bigger disagreements. Duration of adolescents’ romantic relationships is not related to the frequency of small or bigger disagreements. There was no differences found in usage of constructive and destructive conflicts' resolution strategies in adolescents’ romantic relationships. However, differences in constructive and destructive conflict resolution strategies in accordance with the duration of the relationships are ascertain. Adolescents having short-term (up to 6 weeks) relationships choose more frequently domination than integration strategy. Adolescents having long-term (15 weeks and more) relationships choose more frequently constructive conflict resolution strategies than domination. Gender differences using conflict resolution strategies in adolescents’ romantic relationships were not established.

Raktažodžiai: adolescence, romantic relationships, conflict reasons, conflict frequency, conflict resolution strategies