TY - JOUR
T1 - Attachment and caregiving relationships in families affected by parental incarceration
AU - Shlafer, Rebecca J.
AU - Poehlmann, Julie
PY - 2010
Y1 - 2010
N2 - This longitudinal, mixed method study focused on 57 families of children who participated in a mentoring program for children of incarcerated parents. Children ranged in age from 4 to 15 years. Monthly interviews were conducted with children, caregivers, and mentors during the first six months of program participation, and questionnaires were administered at intake and six months to assess caregiver-child and incarcerated parent-child relationships, contact with incarcerated parents, and children's behavior problems. Although some children viewed their incarcerated parents as positive attachment figures, other children reported negative feelings toward or no relationship with incarcerated parents. In addition, our assessments of children nine years old and older revealed that having no contact with the incarcerated parent was associated with children reporting more feelings of alienation toward that parent compared to children who had contact. Children's behavior problems were a primary concern, often occurring in a relational context or in reaction to social stigma associated with parental imprisonment.
AB - This longitudinal, mixed method study focused on 57 families of children who participated in a mentoring program for children of incarcerated parents. Children ranged in age from 4 to 15 years. Monthly interviews were conducted with children, caregivers, and mentors during the first six months of program participation, and questionnaires were administered at intake and six months to assess caregiver-child and incarcerated parent-child relationships, contact with incarcerated parents, and children's behavior problems. Although some children viewed their incarcerated parents as positive attachment figures, other children reported negative feelings toward or no relationship with incarcerated parents. In addition, our assessments of children nine years old and older revealed that having no contact with the incarcerated parent was associated with children reporting more feelings of alienation toward that parent compared to children who had contact. Children's behavior problems were a primary concern, often occurring in a relational context or in reaction to social stigma associated with parental imprisonment.
KW - Attachment
KW - Behavior problems
KW - Parental incarceration
KW - Relationships
KW - Visitation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77954120998&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=77954120998&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/14616730903417052
DO - 10.1080/14616730903417052
M3 - Article
C2 - 20582847
AN - SCOPUS:77954120998
SN - 1461-6734
VL - 12
SP - 395
EP - 415
JO - Attachment and Human Development
JF - Attachment and Human Development
IS - 4
ER -