Abstract
Objective: This study continues prior research investigating the relationships between task conflict, relationship conflict, team performance, and team member satisfaction within teams of students in programs that tend to matriculate to healthcare professions. Background: As the use of teams both in practice and education continues to increase, understanding how conflict impacts team processes becomes ever more important. Methods: Student teams (n = 47) completed two different decision tasks as well as instruments that measured their individual levels of perceived task conflict, relationship conflict and satisfaction with their team. Results: No significant relationship was identified between either types of conflict and team performance; however, significant negative correlations existed between task conflict and team member satisfaction (rs = -.343, p = .018), and relationship conflict and team member satisfaction (rs = -.302, p = .039). Conclusion: The findings align with previous research on task and relationship conflict and their impact on team member satisfaction with the team process. Application: Given the focus on helping students develop 21st Century Skills such as collaboration, the findings may suggest the need for general conflict education prior to engaging students in team work to avoid the development of questionable conflict management responses that could be carried into professional practice.