Computers work for women: Gender differences in e-supported divorce mediation

• We investigate the effectiveness of e-supported mediation to settle divorces.
• More than 75% of the cases reaches settlement when an asynchronous e-tool is used.
• Both men and women evaluate e-supported divorce mediation favorably.
• Men and women perceive similar levels of distributive and informational justice.
• Women perceive significantly more procedural and interpersonal justice than men.

Despite the increasing use of e-mediated services to settle divorce, research on its effectiveness is limited. In this paper, we investigate the effectiveness of an asynchronous e-supported tool to mediate divorces in the Netherlands. In order to do so, we rely on (a) the number of agreements reached and (objective) (b) with the help of a survey, we ask men and women about their perceptions of justice when involved in an e-mediated divorce (subjective). Results show that in more than 75% of the cases parties reach an agreement. Furthermore, findings indicate that both Dutch men and women evaluate e-supported divorce mediation favorably with high levels of perceived distributive, procedural, interpersonal as well as informational justice. Although men and women do not differ regarding perceptions of distributive and informational justice, women perceive significantly more procedural and interpersonal justice than men. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.