Data from 135 parents were used to explore and compare perceptions of process and outcome for court-ordered and voluntary participants in child custody/visitation mediation. Information from the Clients Assessment of Mediation Services (CAMS) is used to analyze six process and four outcome variables for male/female and agreement/no agreement groups. Data were reported on mediated agreements and reasons for termination of mediation prior to reaching agreement.

The results of this study indicated voluntary mediation participants, more than court-ordered participants, were 1) emotionally satisfied with the agreement, 2) believed mediators were warm, sensitive, and Sympathetic, and 3) mediation improved their relationship with their (ex) spouse.

Voluntary and court-ordered participants were similar on process variables of empowerment, adequacy of information, and mediator impartiality, and outcome variables of satisfaction with custody and adequacy of information about child issues. There were significant differences between court-ordered agreement/no agreement groups on the process variables of sensitive/effective mediator, empowerment, adequacy of information and focus on issues, and outcome variables of satisfaction with agreement, emotional satisfaction, satisfaction with custody and adequacy of information on child issues.