Recent cases of disputes between neighbors that have drawn public attention actually have much deeper psychological and social impacts. According to Risda Rizkillah, SSi, MSi, a lecturer from the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences at IPB University, such conflicts can even disrupt family harmony.
“Relationships with neighbors play an important role in the balance of family life. If we look at it from the perspective of the family ecology theory, relationships with neighbors are part of the mesosystem, which is the family’s closest environment,” she explained.
Risda explained that conflicts occurring in the surrounding environment often create an uncomfortable home atmosphere. “When neighborly relations are disturbed, especially when personal emotions are involved, the effects do not stop at the home’s front gate. The conflict can enter the family and affect its internal dynamics,” she said.
This kind of situation, she noted, can trigger cold communication between family members, cause feelings of suspicion, and even lead to divisions within the extended family due to the taking of sides.
“Adults may experience social stress, feel embarrassed or reluctant to go outside because they are the focus of the community’s attention. Meanwhile, children lose their sense of security in their environment,” she added.
This phenomenon is known as emotional spillover, which is a condition where social pressures from outside the home seep into the family system. “If it lasts a long time, the family can lose its social resilience, which is the ability to recover from pressure,” she continued.
To prevent broader impacts, Risda emphasized the importance of applying fundamental family values. “There are four things that must be upheld: open and assertive communication, empathy, fairness and mutual respect, and family-based mediation,” she explained.
She elaborated that mediation can be facilitated by community leaders, neighborhood or community association heads (RT/RW), or religious leaders so that resolutions are more peaceful and accepted by all parties. “The key is to build a supportive social ecosystem. Authorities and the community can provide spaces for dialogue together and counseling support for those affected,” she said.
Risda stressed that conflicts between neighbors are actually normal. However, they must be managed wisely. “What must be maintained is not only individual relationships but also the overall balance of the social system. A strong family is the foundation of a harmonious society,” she concluded. (AS) (IAAS/KMR)
