Cohort Differences in Interpersonal Conflict: Implications for the Older Patient-Younger Care Provider Interaction

This investigation uncovers a relation between lifespan stage, conflict styles, depth of conflict, and conflict satisfaction. Younger adults rated their general style preference for a controlling conflict style significantly higher than older adults, and indicated decreased satisfaction with a nonconfrontational conflict style and significantly higher preference for a nonconfrontational conflict style as depth of conflict increased. Older adults rated their general style preference for a solution-oriented conflict style significantly higher than younger adults. Cross-sectional results indicate that a cohort's conflict behaviors and satisfaction with those behaviors are different across the lifespan. Implications of these results are framed in the specific context of older adult-younger care provider conflict interactions.