{
  "schema_version": 1,
  "topic_id": "difficult-conversations",
  "topic_title": "Difficult Conversations",
  "domain_id": "communication-relationships",
  "domain_title": "Communication & Relationships",
  "ontology_status": "growth-gap",
  "baseline_status": "growth-gap",
  "question": "What preparation and conversational practices reduce escalation or improve clarity in difficult but non-abusive conversations?",
  "evidence_target": "Prefer workplace/interpersonal evidence and research that distinguishes conflict management from therapy or crisis response.",
  "guardrail": "Coercion, abuse, threats, and safety risks require a different response path.",
  "stage": "ready-for-resolution",
  "stage_label": "Ready for resolution review",
  "stage_summary": "A reviewed Evidence Decision and trusted Topic protocol exist, but no explicit closure record exists yet.",
  "canonical_url": "https://brali-lifeos.github.io/research/gaps/difficult-conversations/",
  "research_queries": [
    {
      "id": "communication-difficult-conversations",
      "query": "difficult conversations conflict communication workplace systematic review",
      "risk_flags": []
    }
  ],
  "candidates": [
    {
      "id": "crossref:10.1038/s41467-026-71669-5",
      "title": "Spoken disagreement is more constructive than written disagreement",
      "status": "propose-protocol",
      "publication_date": "2026-04-27",
      "reference_url": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-71669-5"
    },
    {
      "id": "crossref:10.1177/02654075261420989",
      "title": "A systematic review of technology-mediated conflict management in couples",
      "status": "challenge-existing",
      "publication_date": "2026-01-27",
      "reference_url": "https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075261420989"
    },
    {
      "id": "crossref:10.1177/19485506261444068",
      "title": "Harnessing Artificial Intelligence to Facilitate Difficult Conversations",
      "status": "propose-protocol",
      "publication_date": "2026-05-05",
      "reference_url": "https://doi.org/10.1177/19485506261444068"
    }
  ],
  "evidence_decisions": [
    {
      "id": "chatbot-difficult-conversation-rehearsal-2026",
      "decision": "propose-protocol",
      "reviewed_at": "2026-08-31",
      "source_title": "Harnessing Artificial Intelligence to Facilitate Difficult Conversations",
      "ledger_url": "https://brali-lifeos.github.io/evidence/chatbot-difficult-conversation-rehearsal-2026/"
    },
    {
      "id": "couple-conflict-channel-boundary-2026",
      "decision": "challenge-existing",
      "reviewed_at": "2026-08-26",
      "source_title": "A systematic review of technology-mediated conflict management in couples",
      "ledger_url": "https://brali-lifeos.github.io/evidence/couple-conflict-channel-boundary-2026/"
    },
    {
      "id": "spoken-vs-written-disagreement-boundary-2026",
      "decision": "propose-protocol",
      "reviewed_at": "2026-08-26",
      "source_title": "Spoken disagreement is more constructive than written disagreement",
      "ledger_url": "https://brali-lifeos.github.io/evidence/spoken-vs-written-disagreement-boundary-2026/"
    }
  ],
  "trusted_protocols": [
    {
      "slug": "ai-customer-reply-coach",
      "title": "Let AI Draft Routine Replies, Keep the Human on the Conversation",
      "url": "https://brali-lifeos.github.io/life-os/ai-customer-reply-coach/",
      "evidence_status": "reviewed"
    },
    {
      "slug": "ai-conversation-rehearsal",
      "title": "Rehearse a Difficult Conversation with AI Before the Real One",
      "url": "https://brali-lifeos.github.io/life-os/ai-conversation-rehearsal/",
      "evidence_status": "practical"
    }
  ],
  "resolution": null,
  "coverage": {
    "id": "difficult-conversations",
    "title": "Difficult Conversations",
    "domain_id": "communication-relationships",
    "status": "growth-gap",
    "entries": 2,
    "research_candidates": 3
  }
}