I Statements

According to Ohio Commission on Dispute Resolution & Conflict Management, an I-statement has four parts:

1. “I feel like___ (taking responsibility for one's own feelings)
2. “I don't like it when__ ” (stating the behavior that is a problem)
3. “because____” (what it is about the behavior or its consequences that one objects to)
4. “Can we work this out together?” (be open to working on the problem together)

According to Hope E. Morrow, a common pitfall in I-statement construction is using phrases like "I feel that..." or "I like that..." which typically express an opinion or judgment. Morrow favors following "I feel..." with a feeling such as "sad," "angry," etc.