Attention, Externalizing, and Internalizing Problems of Youth Exposed to Parental Incarceration

Abstract

Introduction: Few studies have examined the effects of parental incarceration (PI) on outcomes above and beyond other risk and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Aim: To examine 1) the associations between PI and mental health problems (attention, externalizing, internalizing, and total behavioral problems) and 2) the mediating role of current socioeconomic status and cumulative ACEs. Method: An observational and cross-sectional design was employed. Analyses included hierarchical multivariable linear regression modeling. The analytic sample included 613 adolescents (11 to 17 years). Results: On average, youth exposed to PI experienced three times as many ACEs compared to youth unexposed. Youth exposed to PI were more likely to have behavioral problems than their unexposed peers. The main effect for all models was attenuated by current economic hardship as well as exposure to increasing numbers of ACEs. Discussion: Exposure to PI can be viewed as a marker of accumulative risk for intervention since youth impacted by PI are more likely to experience behavioral difficulties and associated adverse childhood experiences.

Parental Incarceration, Development, and Well-Being: A Developmental Systematic Review

“…Eight studies were found related to this category. One of these eight studies addressed both paternal and maternal incarceration separately [ 53 ], two of them paternal incarceration [ 15 , 54 ], one maternal incarceration [ 55 ], and the last three did not discriminate the gender of the parent in prison [ 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 ]. The vast majority of these investigations only included variables related to academic performance.…”

“…In this sense, children and adolescents have shown greater difficulties in their physical [ 5 ], cognitive [ 6 ] and socioemotional development [ 7 , 8 , 9 ], as well as in their school life [ 10 ], living conditions [ 11 ], and a greater number of psychosocial risks (e.g., substance abuse [ 12 ], delinquency [ 13 ], and violent behavior [ 9 ]). However, some studies have not found a relationship between parental incarceration and some of these variables, e.g., [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 ].…”

A Global View of Women, Prison, and Aftercare: A Call for Reform

“…Although some countries may not report their racial or ethnically disproportionate incarceration, these patterns exist in many countries worldwide. 3 Studies show that when children are exposed to the criminal justice system-either through witnessing the arrest of their parent or attending court proceedings-they are traumatized by the experience (Boch et al, 2019;Turney & Goodsell, 2018). Not only is it potentially traumatic for children to visit their incarcerated family members, they fear for their parents' safety as well (Aiello & McCorkel, 2018;Fasah, 2018).…”

Summing Up Volume #40, Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Issues in Mental Health Nursing, and Looking Ahead to 2020

“…I do not want to give short shrift to the contributions of many other authors to Volume 40, whose papers were not part of a "special issue." Among the thought-provoking and valuable articles published in 2019 were papers on men with an eating disorder (Lyons, McAndrew, & Warne, 2019); victims of narcissistic abuse (Howard, 2019); problems of youth whose parents are incarcerated (Boch, Warren, & Ford, 2019); mental health needs of refugee women (Felsman, Humphreys, & Kronk, 2019); and refugee children (Cleary, West, Foong, McLean, & Kornhaber, 2019). A welcome trend this year is an increase in the number of letters to the editor, a healthy indicator of reader engagement and desire to respond.…”