Only Five Or Six Hours Of Divorce Mediation Can Benefit Your Children

A op-ed piece in the New York Times confirms the value of divorce mediation for families with children.  Stephanie Coontz, a professor of history at Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, wrote about the value of mediated divorce.  Professor Coontz cited a 12 year study of divorcing couples randomly assigned to either mediation or litigation. The study was conducted by Psychologist Robert Emery at the University of Virginia.  Dr. Emery and his colleagues found “that as little as five to six hours of mediation had powerful and long-term effects in reducing the kinds of parental conflict that produced the worst outcomes for children.   Parents who took part in mediation settle their disputes in half the time of parents who use litigation; they were also much more likely to consult with each other after the divorce about children’s discipline, moral training, school performance and vacation plans.”    This study is yet another reason why divorcing parents should choose mediation over litigation whenever possible.

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