HKIER

Abstract

Peer mediation is a school-based intervention program that was implemented in response to the rising violence in schools, and to the need for alternative and more proactive discipline plans. Using the theoretical framework of the Social Identity Theory, this article highlighted the importance of peer mediation in helping adolescents resolve their conflicts in a positive and constructive way. Two vignettes, one with peer mediation and the other without, were used in this study. Each vignette described a conflict between an offender and a victim of different social identities. Responses to the questions at the end of the vignette gave evidence of the participants’ perception of the victim’s identity and their level of empathy for the victim in peer-mediation and non-peer-mediation situations. Results revealed that at-risk youths were more likely to perceive the victim in his personal identity and also displayed greater empathy for him during peer mediation. However, in a non-peer-mediation situation, they are more likely to perceive the victim in his social identity and displayed significantly less empathy. No significant differences were found among the non-at-risk youths in both vignettes. Implications of findings for successful mediation of conflicts are also discussed.

摘要

N.A.