| Little is known about how persuasive communication is used in the mediation setting. This study examined whether divorce mediation participants' use of compliance-gaining strategies helps explain the mediation process.; In order to examine the role of compliance-gaining strategies in the negotiation process, the level of participants' satisfaction with the mediation and the overall level of mediation difficulty were selected as outcome variables. Also included were interpersonal communication variables that are important in resolving conflict, such as argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness. Eight-seven couples seeking divorce mediation for child-custody and visitation issues from court referred centers participated in this study.; The results of the study showed that argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness are predictors of the use of certain compliance-gaining strategies. The study also revealed evidence that a participant's level of satisfaction is influenced by the selection of certain compliance-gaining strategies, as well as by the individual's argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness. Perceptions of the spouse's verbal aggressiveness and the spouse's use of anti-social strategies were also found to be related to satisfaction with the divorce mediation process.; The level of difficulty in mediating child-custody and visitation disputes, as reported by the mediator, is influenced by the participants' use of anti-social strategies and the perceptions of the participants concerning use by the spouse of anti-social and pro-social strategies. Analysis of the couple data showed that the wife's report of her husband's verbal aggressiveness and his use of anti-social compliance-gaining strategies were influencing factors in the reported level of mediation difficulty.; Future study is needed to examine the relationship between argumentativeness and compliance-gaining strategies. Further investigation should also include examination of the relationship, if any, between self-report use of anti-social strategies and satisfaction with the mediation. Finally, a longitudinal study that investigates the choice of compliance-gaining strategy use between those couples who used mediation to settle their child custody and visitation issues and those couples who chose to use the adversarial system is suggested. |
