The quality of life was measured by the experience of post-separation abuse and hassles which include defaults on support payments. The sample was derived from family court records. An interview-schedule was administered to subjects using a telephone survey. Among the major findings of the study are that separation does not effectively stop abuse by the ex-partner, and pre-separation abuse is a good predictor of post separation abuse. The study also revealed that the presence of a lover is a good predictor of post-separation abuse and that while lawyer intervention is more strongly associated with decreases in post-separation abuse than is mediator intervention, neither lawyer nor mediator intervention is a good predictor of post-separation women abuse. The study showed that lawyer support is associated with a decrease in post-separation hassles. There were three variables constituting a DAD (dependency, availability, and deterrence) model found to mediate the effects of lawyer and mediator intervention on women abuse. These variables are used as the basis for the major recommendations of this study. Overall, it is more likely that lawyers will make a positive contribution to the quality of post-separation family life than will court based mediators. This study concludes with recommendations designed to improve the quality of life by reducing post-separation hassles and abuse. 65 references, 11 notes, 13 tables. (Author abstract modified)