Conflict resolution strategies and their association with perceived stress among German medical students: a cross-sectional study

The study examined conflict resolution strategies among 219 ninth-semester medical students at the Medical Faculty of Tübingen, Germany. Students predominantly preferred integrative strategies such as collaboration (mean 4.2) and compromise (mean 3.9), while competing was the least preferred strategy (mean 2.7). Team conflicts were associated with higher perceived stress levels. A greater tendency toward compromise contributed to lower perceived stress. The results indicate that conflict resolution approaches are associated with stress levels among medical students. The authors recommend integrating reflective conflict management training into medical curricula to support teamwork competencies and reduce stress.