The Use of Public Electronic Forums to Manage Conflict among Female Peers: An Explorative Study

Abstract

This qualitative study explored how female college students manage conflict on public electronic forums such as social media. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve female college students to investigate the process of using social media to manage conflict with peers. Data were analyzed using grounded theory analysis and the following three categories emerged: motivation, third party involvement, and remorse/regret. Participants reported a range of motivations for choosing social media to manage their conflict along with the implications that accompanied this decision. Study limitations, directions for future research, and clinical implications are discussed.