In an attempt to combat the social isolation and stigma associated with the incarceration of a family member, increasingly efforts are made to support families affected by imprisonment. Many of these forms of support are delivered in groups. Participation in support groups generates benefits, sometimes referred to as the social cure, by enhancing a sense of belonging, social connection, and subjective identification with the group. Where an identity is stigmatized, subjective group identification may be resisted and this could potentially undermine the effectiveness of group‐based support. We used semi‐structured interviews with 12 partners of incarcerated men participating in group‐based support, to explore their identity constructions as well as their perceptions of the value of the support group. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analysed using a material‐discursive perspective. Findings emphasize the importance of shared experiences as a basis for connection with others in this context where subjective identification with an identity is problematic. Three themes are documented in the data that emphasize shared experience. These themes – Experiences of a ‘situation’ as the basis for social isolation; Experience of a ‘situation’ as the basis for inclusion; and Victims of circumstance – all orient to the role of shared experience in participants’ talk. The theoretical discussion of these findings highlights the important role of shared experience as a basis for social connections for those affected by stigma. The implications of these findings for supporting families affected by incarceration are discussed, as is the more general potential of group‐based approaches for those affected by stigma.

Parental incarceration (PI) is negatively associated with emotional, educational, and psychological child outcomes. However, few studies explore potential mechanisms through which these outcomes are transmitted or the means by which prosocial outcomes might develop. This study used data from two waves of a population cohort study of children aged 9 years and followed up aged 13 years living in Ireland. Children and parents ( N = 8,568) completed measures of PI, primary caregiver (PCG) depression, PCG-child relationship quality, and child behavioral adjustment. We then conducted a secondary analysis on this national longitudinal study of children in Ireland. Using sequential mediation models, we observed a mediated indirect effect of PI on prosocial outcomes via PCG depression and PCG-child relationship quality. PI at age 9 was associated with increased difficulties and reduced prosocial behavior at age 13. Additionally, PI at age 9 affected PCG depression and the PCG-child relationship quality. Additionally, child prosocial outcomes, and emotional and behavioral difficulties were less apparent where PI had a weaker effect on PCG depression and the quality of PCG-child relationship. Supports that can mitigate the impact of PI for vulnerable caregivers and children are discussed.

There is increasing acceptance that children are not unaware of when they are targets of discrimination. However, discrimination as a consequence of socio‐economic disadvantage remains understudied. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of perceived discrimination on well‐being, perceptions of safety and school integration amongst children growing up within socio‐economically disadvantaged communities in Limerick, Ireland. Mediation analysis was used to explore these relationships and to examine the potential role of parental support and community identity in boys and girls in the 6th to 9th year of compulsory education (N = 199). Results indicate perceived discrimination contributed to negative outcomes in terms of school integration, perceptions of safety and levels of well‐being. Age and gender differences were observed which disadvantaged boys and younger children. All negative outcomes were buffered by parental support. Community identity also protected young people in terms of feelings of school integration and risk but not in terms of psychological well‐being. Findings are discussed in terms of the different role of family and community supports for children negotiating negative social representations of their community.

Background: Parental incarceration (PI) is associated with adverse developmental outcomes for children affected. However, research in this area often reports conflicting results with few studies following children across time in non-U.S.populations. Additionally, more research is called for using multi-informant perspectives rather than relying on adult reports of child outcomes alone.Methods: This study used data from the first two waves of a nationally representative cohort study of 8,568 children aged 9 years and followed up at age 13 living in the Republic of Ireland (2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012). Propensity score matching was used to match children who had experienced PI by the age of nine to children who had not experienced PI by sociodemographics and experience of other stressful events. Mental health, as measured by self-concept (Piers-Harris II) and externalizing and internalizing difficulties (strength and difficulties questionnaire), was compared across both groups. Results: Fifty of the 8,568 children (weighted percentage 0.9%) reported experiencing PI by the age of nine. These children came from more socially disadvantaged homes and were more likely to have experienced other potentially stressful life events. In comparison to a matched sample of children not affected by PI, children affected by PI reported higher levels of anxiety at age nine. Longitudinal analysis indicated these children affected by PI also reported lower levels of happiness at age 13 with higher levels of emotional difficulties reported by their primary caregiver. Conclusions: Children of incarcerated parents face a greater array of life challenges.PI had an association with child-reported levels of anxiety at age nine. PI also had a medium-term association on caregiver assessments of emotional difficulties of children affected as well child-reported levels of happiness over time.

Objective: Childhood trauma is linked to the dysregulation of physiological responses to stress, particularly lower cardiovascular reactivity (CVR) to acute stress. The mechanisms that explain this association, however, are not yet fully understood. Method: Using secondary data from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) Biomarker Project (N = 1,148; n = 652 females), we examine whether social integration can help explain the association between childhood trauma and lower CVR. Participants completed a standardized laboratory stress paradigm which involved completing executive functioning (Stroop) and mental arithmetic (MATH) tasks. Cardiovascular measurements were continuously assessed using electrocardiogram (ECG) and Finometer equipment. The Social Well-Being Scale (Keyes, 1998) and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ; Bernstein et al., 2003) measured social integration and trauma, respectively. Results: Regression analyses demonstrated that childhood trauma was associated with lower systolic (SBP; b = À.14, p , .001) and diastolic (DBP; b = À.11, p , .001) blood pressure reactivity but not heart rate (HR) reactivity. Mediation analyses, using Hayes PROCESS Model 4, showed that higher levels of trauma were associated with less social integration and in turn linked to lower reactivity across all biological indices. Moreover, sensitivity analyses showed that this indirect effect via social integration was evident for emotional and physical abuse, emotional and physical neglect, but not sexual abuse. Conclusion: Overall, the results indicated that dysregulated cardiovascular stress responses owing to childhood trauma may be shaped by a lack of social integration. The implications of this, as well as the findings for the individual types of trauma, are discussed. Clinical Impact StatementThese findings highlight the importance of social integration for the health of those made vulnerable by adverse childhood experiences. This knowledge offers a potentially useful and inexpensive approach to support trauma-exposed individuals, potentially reducing some of its longer-lasting impacts on physical health. Although experimental research is needed to provide evidence for socially-based interventions for those who have experienced trauma, this research sets the foundation for further investigation, and points to the implications for policy and practice.