Shuttle and Online Mediation: A Review of Available Research and Implications for Separating Couples Reporting Intimate Partner Violence or Abuse

• Author: Amy G. Applegate,Jeannie M. Adams,Fernanda S. Rossi,Connie J. Beck,Darrell F. Hale,Amy Holtzworth‐Munroe
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/fcre.12293
• Published date: 01 July 2017
• Date: 01 July 2017

SHUTTLE AND ONLINE MEDIATION: A REVIEW OF AVAILABLE

RESEARCH AND IMPLICATIONS FOR SEPARATING COUPLES

REPORTING INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE OR ABUSE

Fernanda S. Rossi, Amy Holtzworth-Munroe, Amy G. Applegate, Connie J. Beck,

Jeannie M. Adams, and Darrell F. Hale

Whether family law cases with a history of severe intimate partner violence and/or abuse (IPV/A cases) should have the option

of settling family-related issues using mediation is the subject of significant debate. Recommendations for potentially safer

ways to mediate IPV/A cases have been developed, including shuttle and online mediation. Given the current lack of research

on these forms of mediation with IPV/A cases, we review the research on shuttle and online mediation in other contexts and

theorize how the findings might apply to IPV/A cases. We argue that, although online and shuttle mediation may benefit IPV/

A cases, aspects of these procedures require special considerations.

Key Points for the Family Court Community:

Based on very limited available research findings, we discuss the possible advantages and disadvantages of conducting

shuttle or online mediation with IPV/A cases.

We provide suggestions and issues to consider for conducting shuttle or online mediation with IPV/A cases, though

any formal recommendations should be made considering data from empirical studies examining these types of media-

tion with IPV/A cases.

We encourage researchers to design studies that compare different forms of mediation and to examine the process of

mediation for parties reporting severe IPV/A. Such studies will help us understand appropriate approaches for assisting

separating or divorcing couples reporting a history of IPV/A.

Keywords: Domestic Violence; Intimate Partner Violence; Online Mediation; Shuttle Mediation; and Videoconferencing

Mediation.

INTRODUCTION

Given the high rates of relationship instability (Goodwin, Mosher, & Chandra, 2010) and the

significant number of individuals who experience intimate partner violence and/or abuse (IPV/A;

1

Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000), family and divorce mediators will encounter separating or divorcing cou-

ples reporting IPV/A. Whether such cases should be provided the option of settling family-related

issues using mediation is the subject of significant debate (Kelly & Johnson, 2008).

Proponents of mediation argue strongly against restricting mediation for IPV/A cases because

they suggest that, in doing so, these couples will be prohibited from experiencing the benefits that

have been associated with mediation (Edwards, Baron, & Ferrick, 2008). Though few methodologi-

cally strong studies have examined the effects of family mediation versus the traditional adversarial

litigation process, the strongest study to date (Emery, Laumann-Billings, Waldron, Sbarra, & Dillon,

2001) found that those who had completed mediation, in comparison to those who had litigated,

were less likely to relitigate, reported less interparental conflict, and fathers indicated greater satisfac-

tion with settlement outcomes. However, the study did not examine whether such results generalize

to IPV/A cases. Compared to litigation, other benefits of mediation may include reduced costs, effi-

ciency of the process, and opportunities to individualize family arrangements (Adkins, 2010;

Correspondence: fsrossi@indiana.edu; holtzwor@indiana.edu; aga@indiana.edu; Beck@email.arizona.edu; Jeannie.adams@

dcsc.gov; haled@dcsc.gov

FAMILY COURT REVIEW, Vol. 55 No. 3, July 2017 390–403

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C2017 Association of Family and Conciliation Courts