A poly(arylene ether)/polystyrene blend may be prepared by melt kneading a carboxylic acid compound, a poly(arylene ether), and a polystyrene to form an intimate blend, and steam stripping the intimate blend, where melt kneading is conducted with a specific energy consumption of about 0.1 to about 0.3 kilowatt-hour per kilogram of blend. The method allows the formation of an intimate resin blend while minimizing the styrene monomer content of the final blend.