An evaluation of process and outcome in a private family mediation service

This article presents the results of a descriptive study of a consecutive series of seventy‐two client couples who were provided open or closed family mediation or family assessment by the Family Mediation Service, a private, fee‐for‐service agency. The results emphasized the intense stress associated with divorce, and clearly distinguished between couples in terms of agreement but not service type. Discussion of these findings focuses on three central issues: private mediation, the process of doing mediation, and mediation type.