Perceived importance and frequency of execution of tasks performed by divorce mediators /
| Main Author: | |
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| Other Authors: | , |
| Format: | Thesis Book |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
1993.
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | ProQuest, Abstract Link to OAKTrust copy |
| Abstract: | The purpose of this study was to determine the tasks divorce mediators consider to be most important and execute most frequently in their practices. After an extensive review of the literature on divorce mediation and a pilot study survey of divorce mediators considered to have expertise in the field, a list of 42 mediation tasks proclaimed to produce successful mediation was generated. Four hundred randomly selected members of the Academy of Family Mediators (AFM) were then surveyed to determine how they would rate the tasks in terms of importance and frequency of performance. A total of 281 usable survey questionnaires were returned. There were significant differences between mean sample ratings (for both importance and frequency of performance) of most of the tasks listed in the questionnaire. Yet, the sample of respondents considered all 42 mediation tasks to be more important than not. The sample also claimed to perform all but one of the tasks more often than not. For each task listed in the survey questionnaire, correlations between ratings of importance and ratings of frequency of performance of the same task were significant. Multivariate analyses of variance and Pearson Product Moment correlations were used to determine whether different variables (i. e., experience, training, professional background, funding of practice, definition of successful mediation, gender, socioeconomic status of typical client, and location of practice) related to the way the respondents rated the mediation tasks. Professional background was significantly related to ratings the respondents gave to mediation tasks, both in terms of importance and frequency of performance. Gender of mediator and fee charged for services were significantly related to respondents' ratings of frequency of performance, but were not significantly related to respondents' ratings of importance of the mediation tasks. The results indicate that the list of tasks generated by the literature review and pilot study is an appropriate outline of of what divorce mediators currently perform in their practices and consider important for successful mediation outcome. The results also suggest that professional background, funding of practice, and gender significantly influence divorce mediators in the manner in which they conduct their practices. |
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| Item Description: | Vita. "Major subject: Counseling Psychology." |
| Physical Description: | xiii, 303 leaves ; 28 cm |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references. |