One of the reasons I was initially attracted to peer mediation was the sense that participating in mediation changed disputants: that in addition to resolving the conflict at hand, parties learned new skills and behaviors that they could apply to future conflicts. For many years, however, there was little qualitative proof that any of the benefits attributed to peer mediation were real. We had only anecdotal evidence — anecdotes that were compelling, to be sure — but anecdotes nonetheless.… read this issue >>