An evaluation of the Inafa' Maolek's Mediation Program and potential impact in resolution of child-custody cases on Guam

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the mediation program that was conducted by the Inafa' Maolek Mediation Program and to determine whether this program assisted with creating a satisfactory sustained mediation between conflicting parties involved in child-custody cases. Participants (N = 38) were adults who agreed to volunteer and who have gone through the Guam Superior Court System or the Inafa' Maolek Mediation Program. A control group consisted of participants (N = 70) who did not go through the Inafa' Maolek Mediation Program. All individuals participated in surveys while the experimental group also voluntarily participated in individual interviews. The implications of the study were that this will assist in determining whether mediation programs increased or decreased participant satisfaction and whether the mediations were sustained. A mixed methodology (quantitative and qualitative) assessed and evaluated the Inafa' Maolek Mediation Program in Hagatna, Guam, which was for participants who voluntarily had their child-custody cases mediated by the Inafa' Maolek Mediation Program. The researcher failed to reject six of the hypotheses for the Inafa' Maolek Mediation Program and failed to reject seven of the hypotheses for the Erica's House Program.