CDA Negotiation & Mediation Skills 3

Question 1

A spouse refuses to disclose retirement account balances during mediation. What is the CDA's most appropriate step?

Accepted Answer

Stress the importance of full financial disclosure and suggest a discovery process

Answer

Full financial disclosure is essential for equitable settlements; a CDA should explain this requirement and guide parties toward proper discovery.

Question 2

Which conflict resolution approach yields partial satisfaction for both parties through mutual concessions?

Accepted Answer

Compromising

Answer

Compromising involves each party giving up something to reach a middle-ground agreement, unlike collaboration which seeks full mutual gain.

Question 3

'Reframing' in mediation means:

Accepted Answer

Restating a party's message in a more neutral or constructive way

Answer

Reframing transforms negative or positional statements into neutral language focused on interests, reducing defensiveness.

Question 4

When parties are at an impasse over child custody schedules, the most effective mediator move is to:

Accepted Answer

Break the issue into smaller sub-issues and address each separately

Answer

Breaking large impasses into smaller issues makes the problem more manageable and allows incremental progress toward agreement.

Question 5

Which type of mediation allows the mediator to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each party's legal position?

Accepted Answer

Evaluative

Answer

Evaluative mediators provide opinions on likely court outcomes, helping parties assess their BATNA more realistically.

(CDA) Certified Divorce Advisor Practice Test