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Does the value of school‐based peer mediation programs extend beyond the confines of the schools that promote them? Analyses of pre‐and posttest measures administered to a test group indicate student mediators and their parents say the answer is yes. This article reports the findings of a study designed and conducted to determine the degree to which and the manner in which school‐age participants in an elementary school‐based peer mediation program transferred acquired conflict management skills from school to the home setting for use during sibling conflicts. The results of the study, and suggestions from participants, provide useful information for practitioners who might wish to institute a similar program.

Mia%-age children are and will continue to be confionted with parent care decisions. It is inevitable that siblings Pxperience varying depees of conflict when making these decisions, as exemplijed in the four case studies outlined in this article. The potential ben4ts and limitations offami4 mediation as a means of resolving such conflicts are discussed.n their book Domestic Revolutions: A Social History ofAmerican Farnib I L+, Mintz and Kellogg (1988) suggest the structure and functions of the American family have changed considerably over the last three centuries. They identify three forces behind such home-related "revolutions": demographic change, gender role fluctuation, and economic and technological advances. Smaller family size, extended longevity, paid employment for women, and increased incidence of divorce have affected families, particularly those in later life. Such families are the focus of this article.According to conflict theorists, change is an inevitable aspect of human existence. With change comes the potential for conflict, which is likewise a normal part of human relationships. Competition over scarce resources as well as perception of incompatible goals and the means of accomplishing them can prompt conflict between two persons or parties. Those who study conflict suggest that in and of itself it is neither good nor bad. It is what individuals choose to do in response to the conflict they experience with others that results in "good" or "bad" outcomes. Among family members, there is ample opportunity for conflict to arise. This is true of all stages of family development, including those in later life. Issues related to elder parent care are sensitive ones and therefore particularly ripe for conflict. When such parent care conflict escalates beyond the family members' ability to constructively manage it, the family mediator has a potentially helpful role CONFUC~ RESOILKION QUARTERLY, vol. 19, no. I M I 2001 8 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 3 1 32 GENTRY to play. New and experienced mediators wishing to expand their practices should consider this new arena.The primary purpose of this article is to examine the nature of adult sibling relationships, the issues related to caring for an aging parent that often prompt sibling conflict, the varying means employed to manage these conflicts, and the possible outcomes of such conflict resolution strategies. Additionally, the potential benefits and cautions of using mediation as a conflict resolution approach in this context are identified.

This study determined the degree to and manner in which elementary students in a school-based peer-mediation program transferred conflict-management information and skills learned and practiced at school to the home setting for use in resolving sibling conflicts. Twenty-seven student “conflict managers” from grades four to six and at least one of their parents were interviewed before and after intervention. Data were collected on (1) demographic information; (2) perceptions of the frequency, intensity, and duration of sibling conflicts; (3) the necessity and kind of parent intervention; and (4) the level of positive conflict-management skills demonstrated by the children. Findings indicated that children perceived a significant decline in the frequency and intensity of conflicts with siblings. Parents perceived a similar decline in the frequency of such conflicts and in their need to intervene. Parents additionally perceived a significant improvement in their child's use of productive talk during conflicts.

Research measuring the effectiveness of divorce-mediation services and divorce-education programs shows that these services and programs help minimize the negative impact of parental divorce on children. The author discusses the benefits of including children in either intervention, concluding that practitioners who facilitate children's communication regarding their perceptions of parental divorce and its aftermath must manage this task with sensitivity and care.