Why We Built an Academic Framework Before Building More Features: Introducing PAXIVA™
By PeacePath Editorial Team · · Research
Educational content reviewed for accuracy. Not legal advice.
PAXIVA™ is a theory-informed conceptual framework and research agenda for AI-mediated communication and navigation for families in legal conflict. Here is what it means, what informs it, and what remains to be tested.
The PAXIVA™ Framework
PAXIVA, derived from the Latin pax, meaning resolution of conflict, and via, meaning path, is a six-pillar design and evaluation framework for AI tools serving families in legal conflict.[1][2]
It was developed by the Center for AI-Mediated Family Dispute Resolution, an independent research initiative. An Nguyen authored the public 2026 working paper. The working paper is available on SSRN at https://ssrn.com/abstract=7452998.[2]
The Six Pillars
P — Pattern Detection and Communication Interruption
Conflict research describes recurring interaction and appraisal processes that can intensify family conflict. PAXIVA proposes testing whether an AI system can surface communication patterns before a message is sent without diagnosing either parent.[3][2]
A — Adaptive Scaffolding Toward Communication Competence
PAXIVA applies the educational concept of scaffolding: AI coaching should provide temporary, user-controlled support rather than create permanent dependence.[4][2]
X — eXamination of Evidence Integrity
PAXIVA treats documentation as trust infrastructure and proposes evaluating whether contemporaneous, tamper-evident records can reduce information gaps in family disputes. This is a design hypothesis, not a proven outcome.[5][2]
I — Institutional Equity and Access Design
Research on self-represented family-court users and the civil justice gap documents substantial barriers to legal help and system navigation. PAXIVA therefore treats equitable access as a design requirement.[6][7][2]
V — Verified Child-Centered Outcome Orientation
PAXIVA asks whether each feature is oriented toward child wellbeing and reduced exposure to interparental conflict. It does not claim that PeacePath has already demonstrated those outcomes.[3][8][2]
A — Agentic Behavioral Change Through AI Scaffolding
Users remain agents of their own choices: AI may offer structured support, but users review, edit, accept, or reject every suggestion. Whether this scaffolding supports durable behavior change remains a research question.[4][2]
Why This Matters
Scholarship on digital dispute systems and parent education provides relevant foundations, but it does not validate PAXIVA or PeacePath. PAXIVA turns those foundations into explicit, testable design questions.[5][9][2]
The framework grounds AI design decisions in established behavioral science, dispute resolution theory, and access-to-justice scholarship. It grounds every PeacePath feature in theory that can be examined, tested, and challenged.[5][6][4]
PAXIVA™ disclaimer: the framework is theory-informed and has not been empirically validated. It is a conceptual framework and research agenda, not a clinical instrument, predictive model, court-approved standard, or guarantee of legal or family outcomes. Any future research participation must be voluntary and consent-based.[2]
That is what separates a principled platform from a collection of features.
What It Means for You as a User
If you are a parent using PeacePath, the framework means features are evaluated against a coherent set of theory-informed design commitments rather than presented as proven interventions.[1]
If you are a family law attorney evaluating tools for clients, the framework provides a documented design rationale and research agenda. It does not establish legal admissibility, professional endorsement, or effectiveness in an individual case.[2]
If you are a researcher or practitioner in family law, child welfare, or legal technology, we invite you to read the working paper, cite it, challenge it, and contribute to the research agenda it describes.[2]
The public working paper is available through the PAXIVA™ research hub. Research inquiries may be sent to research@peacepath-compass.com.[2][1]
Developed by the Center for AI-Mediated Family Dispute Resolution. Implemented in PeacePath Compass. PAXIVA™ is a trademark of PeacePath Compass. Not legal advice.[1][2]
References
- Center for AI-Mediated Family Dispute Resolution. (2026). PAXIVA™ Framework. Verify source
- Nguyen, A. (2026). The PAXIVA Framework: AI-Mediated Communication Scaffolding and Equitable Navigation for Families in Legal Conflict. Center for AI-Mediated Family Dispute Resolution. SSRN Working Paper. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.7452998 Verify source
- Grych, J. H., & Fincham, F. D. (1990). Marital conflict and children’s adjustment: A cognitive-contextual framework. Psychological Bulletin, 108(2), 267–290. Verify source
- Wood, D., Bruner, J. S., & Ross, G. (1976). The role of tutoring in problem solving. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 17(2), 89–100. Verify source
- Katsh, E., & Rabinovich-Einy, O. (2017). Digital Justice: Technology and the Internet of Disputes. Oxford University Press. Verify source
- Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System. (2016). Cases Without Counsel: Research on Experiences of Self-Representation in U.S. Family Court. Verify source
- Legal Services Corporation. (2022). The Justice Gap: The Unmet Civil Legal Needs of Low-income Americans. Verify source
- Kelly, J. B., & Emery, R. E. (2003). Children’s adjustment following divorce: Risk and resilience perspectives. Family Relations, 52(4), 352–362. Verify source
- Saini, M. A., & Corrente, S. (2024). Educating for change: A meta-analysis of education programs for separating and divorcing parents. Family Court Review, 62(3), 512–541. Verify source
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the PAXIVA™ Framework?
PAXIVA™ is a six-pillar, theory-informed conceptual framework and research agenda for designing and evaluating AI-mediated communication and navigation tools for families in legal conflict.
Has PAXIVA™ been empirically validated?
No. PAXIVA™ has not been empirically or clinically validated. Its design principles draw from published research, while its proposed mechanisms and outcomes remain questions for transparent empirical study.
Who developed PAXIVA™ and where can I read the working paper?
The Center for AI-Mediated Family Dispute Resolution developed the framework, An Nguyen authored the 2026 working paper, and PeacePath Compass is the implementation platform. The working paper is available on SSRN at https://ssrn.com/abstract=7452998 (DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.7452998).