Fatherhood, Behavioral Health, and Criminal Legal System Contact over the Life Course

Abstract

Life course theories suggest that fathers’ lifetime criminal legal system contact could contribute to poor parent–child outcomes via deterioration in couple relationship quality and fathers’ behavioral health. Using paired, longitudinal data from the Multi-site Family Study (N = 1,112 couples), the current study examines the influence of three dimensions of fathers’ life course legal system contact on individual and parent–child outcomes. In fitted models, accumulated system contact in adulthood predicts fathers’ later depressive symptoms and drug misuse, which in turn predict diminished father–child relationship quality (as reported by both co-parents). Fathers who were older at the time of their first arrest had poorer relationships with their children’s mothers and, in turn, poorer behavioral health and parent–child outcomes. Conditions of confinement during fathers’ most recent prison stay do not significantly predict later parent–child outcomes, net of the influence of age at first arrest and accumulated criminal legal system contact in adulthood.

Trajectories of incarcerated coparenting: Examining differences across race and ethnicity

“…The MFS‐IP is an evaluation of a grant program funded by the Office of Family Assistance (OFA) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF) to promote or sustain healthy relationships and to strengthen families in which a father was incarcerated or otherwise involved with the criminal justice system (e.g., recently released, on parole, or probation). The MFS‐IP data have been utilized in several different articles that have examined family relationships and incarceration (e.g., Comfort et al, 2018; Durante et al, 2022; McKay et al, 2018; McKay & Tadros, 2022; Tadros, 2022; Tadros & Ansell, 2022; Tadros, et al, 2022; Tadros & Gregorash, 2022; Tadros & Tate, 2022; Tadros & Vlach, 2022).…”

Unpacking support: A strengths-based investigation into the needs of incarcerated individuals’ loved ones

“…The experience of being confined in U.S. prisons is found to have deleterious effects on incarcerated individuals’ physical and mental health (McKay and Tadros, 2022). Compared to the general population, those incarcerated have higher rates of COVID-19 incidence and mortality (Leibowitz et al, 2021), cardiovascular disease (Gonzales and Henning-Smith, 2017; Kajeepeta et al, 2020), depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), personality disorders and suicidal ideation (Kao et al, 2014; Mahoney and Daniel, 2006).…”

Picture books for young children of incarcerated parents: Through the lens of bibliotherapy

“…The damaging effects of incarceration on the family system are indisputable. To name a few, these effects range from an increase in chronic stress to relational and economic issues (Durante et al, 2022; McKay & Tadros, 2022). The children of incarcerated parents are a leading cause of concern.…”