The process of family mediation: What works?

Abstract

Over the last two decades, family mediation has become an alternative to judicial process in solving conflicts derived from the breakdown of marriage.

Despite the boom of family mediation, there is little research comparing the effectiveness of mediation and traditional procedures. The studies that have been carried out present multiple methodological problems. They do, in any case, seem to confirm the greater effectiveness of mediation inarriving at satisfactory agreements for the parties in conflict, in guarantecing the application of the agreements in the future and in improving communication between parties.

On the other hand, research on the mediation process reveals that the main determinants of its effectiveness are the mediators” tactics, the characteristics defining the dispute and the interaction between these two factors.