This research project was a descriptive study of a peer mediation program in a junior high school of approximately one thousand students from 21 different nationalities. The focus was on discovering what factors inhibit and what factors encourage the use of mediation by the students in this school. Using qualitative methodology, 20 students, 12 faculty members, and eight parents from this school community were interviewed by the researcher. Surveys were filled out by 58 students, 57 parents, and 23 faculty members. The major criterion used in selecting interview and survey questions was whether or not the question contributed to a systemic understanding of the factors that inhibit or encourage students' use of the mediation program. Perspectives from different parts of the system were elicited by asking similar questions of parents, students, and faculty. After presenting a brief summary of the factors encouraging the use of mediation, the six key factors revealed by the data to be inhibiting the use of mediation were analyzed. The six factors included students' attitudes, feelings, and behaviors regarding mediation; student methods of handling conflict; attitudes, feelings, and behaviors of students in school; school dynamics; factors related to the mediation of program and societal issues. Each of these factors was analyzed for emergent themes and was illuminated through the words of the students, parents, and faculty who participated in this study. The findings illustrate the ways in which conflict resolution within a school is influenced by the climate or atmosphere of the school and in turn influences this climate or atmosphere. The six factors inhibiting the use of mediation in this school were explored within the context of both the climate of the school and the larger society.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UMASS/oai:scholarworks.umass.edu:dissertations-7627 |
| Date | 01 January 1996 |
| Creators | Theberge, Susan K |
| Publisher | ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst |
| Source Sets | University of Massachusetts, Amherst |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Source | Doctoral Dissertations Available from Proquest |
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