The purpose of the research reported in this article was to examine the conflict mediation process among middle school students through critical observations and by addressing the disputants' perceptions of their experiences. The interactions and mediations that were observed are examined by the ways in which mediators' adherence to, and deviation from, the mediation script influenced the mediation and the disputants' perceptions of their mediation experience.

This article critically examines the communications of a selected group of peer mediators who serve an “at‐risk” middle school. Based on our analyses, we identified instances of both neutral and nonneutral mediator communications as well as impartial and nonimpartial mediator communications. These findings are used as a basis for offering recommendations concerning peer mediation training programs.