Parental Status, Child Contact, and Well-Being Among Incarcerated Men and Women

Abstract

Using the 2004 Survey of Inmates in State and Federal Correctional Facilities, we examine the association between parenthood and distress and anger among the currently incarcerated. We show how variations in the parenting experience-such as amount of child contact-influence the mental health of incarcerated parents and how these relationships vary by gender. Our analysis indicates that parents who are incarcerated are significantly more distressed and are angrier than incarcerated nonparents. Mothers of children below 16 years of age are more distressed than other inmates. Mothers, but not fathers, report more anger than nonparent inmates. Distress among incarcerated parents is associated with child living arrangements and with frequency of phone, mail contact, and visits from children. Both mothers and fathers whose children are in foster care are significantly more distressed and report more anger than other parents. Results are discussed in terms of implications for policies and programming for incarcerated parents.

Lessons From the Field: Developing and Implementing an Intervention for Jailed Parents and Their Children

“…Research shows that for incarcerated parents, more contact with children is associated with less distress (Roxburgh & Fitch, 2014), fewer depressive symptoms (Poehlmann, 2005), less parenting stress, and more coparenting with at-home caregivers (Beckmeyer & Arditti, 2014). More generally, incarcerated people are at lower risk of recidivism postrelease when they receive more visits and have stronger family ties during incarceration (Mitchell et al, 2016).…”

Parenting While Incarcerated: Tailoring the Strengthening Families Program for use with jailed mothers

“…Incarcerated mothers report significant concerns about separation from their children and that maintaining a bond with their child is one of the most challenging aspects of incarceration(Kazura, 2001; Poehlmann, 2005). Incarcerated mothers may experience greater distress in this arena than incarcerated fathers (Roxburgh & Fitch, 2013) because mothers tend to be children's primary caregivers. Furthermore, incarcerated women who report child-related stress tend to experience more difficulties during their time in the correctional system than women who do not (Houck & Loper, 2002).…”

“…Parents, particularly mothers, in the correctional system have also often experienced poor parenting role models and experience multiple associated challenges (e.g., abuse histories, dysfunctional family relationships; Kjellstrand, Cearley, Eddy, Foney, & Martinez, 2012) that make it difficult to break the intergenerational cycle of incarceration. Incarcerated mothers report greater distress than non-parent inmates and more anger than incarcerated fathers (Roxburgh & Fitch, 2013). There are also incarceration-specific stressors around parenting such as worries about how often one may have contact with children and emotional dynamics around visitation (Houck & Loper, 2002).…”

Mothers Inside Loving Kids: An Evaluation of a Parenting Support Program for Inmate Mothers

“…As such, children who do not visit their incarcerated parents report increased feelings of alienation from them (Shlafer & Poehlmann, 2010). Moreover, prison systems are motivated to work on visitation experiences as in-person contact with children is related to a host of positive outcomes for inmates, including improved behavior and mood (Roxburgh & Fitch, 2013) as well as decreased recidivism (Bales & Mears, 2008;Hairston, 1988;Harm & Phillips, 2001;Loper et al, 2009). However, due to a variety of barriers, most incarcerated mothers receive visits from children infrequently, and more than half of all parents in state and federal prisons never visit with a child (Glaze & Maruschak, 2008).…”

“…Through these childhood circumstances, women are likely to develop insecure attachment schemas themselves and are at particular risk of developing insecuredisorganized schemas, which have been linked to early experiences of neglect and abuse as well as poverty (Lyons-Ruth & Jacobvitz, 2008). As illustrated by Arrow "a," given the well-documented connection between insecure attachment schemas and a host of difficulties in adulthood (Lyons-Ruth & Jacobvitz, 2008), the potential attachment disruption resulting from these early adversities is a likely causal factor in the development of the various problems incarcerated mothers are known to experience (Box 2) including poverty, substance abuse, relationship instability, and mental illness (Glaze & Maruschak, 2008;Mumola, 2000;Roxburgh & Fitch, 2013).…”