Embracing Mindfulness During Interpersonal Conflict
Liane W.Y. Lee, Robin Stanley Snell, H.W.L. Lei, Crystal X. Wu
Mindfulness March 23, 2026 DOI: 10.1007/s12671-026-02810-0 (opens in new tab) via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractMindfulness helps people handle interpersonal conflicts constructively by cultivating a state called disentanglement—meta-awareness, disidentification, and reduced reactivity—combined with planning and taking constructive action. Based on interviews with 20 mindfulness practitioners, three sets of methods were identified: getting ready and staying ready (inducing and maintaining disentanglement), goal setting for peaceful action (formulating clear intentions about conflict processes and outcomes), and acting peacefully (pursuing those intentions through peaceful yet assertive action to defuse and resolve conflicts). The restorative value of meditation was also discussed. Assertiveness, non-violence, and compassion likely complement these practices.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 20 |
| Population | Mindfulness practitioners |
| Intervention | Mindfulness |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Constructive Interpersonal communication Compassion Action physics |
| Key finding | Mindfulness practitioners use three sets of methods—getting ready and staying ready, goal setting for peaceful action, and acting peacefully—to handle interpersonal conflicts constructively. |
Abstract
Abstract Objectives Interpersonal conflicts are potentially costly to organizations and harmful for people. We outlined the role of mindfulness, which entails paying close attention to events in the mind with an aim to build self-awareness in the present moment, as a resource for peaceful and constructive conflict resolution. Methods Based on research interviews with 20 mindfulness practitioners, we identified three sets of methods for mindfully handling episodes of interpersonal conflict, including those involving abusive service recipient behaviour. Results The first set of mindfulness methods (getting ready, staying ready) involved inducing and maintaining disentanglement, a form of experience characterized by meta-awareness, disidentification, and reduced reactivity, combined with the capacity to plan and undertake constructive action. The second set (goal setting for peaceful action) involved formulating clear and straight forward intentions about conflict management processes and conflict outcomes. The third set (acting peacefully) entailed pursuing those intentions through peaceful yet assertive action to defuse and resolve the conflicts. We also discussed the restorative value of meditation. Conclusions Besides the mindfulness methods identified above, we also acknowledge the likely roles of assertiveness, non-violence, and compassion as complementary practices in constructive conflict resolution.