Unravelling the effect of maternal incarceration on children’s problem behavior and the mother's opportunities for coparenting their children.

• In Event: An International Perspective on Children of Incarcerated Parents. Panel organized by the Spinhuis Center

Abstract

The majority of incarcerated women are mothers of minor children. Numerous studies have shown that these children suffer severe problem behavior and considerably decreased well-being. However, despite the apparent risks of maternal incarceration, evidence of its impact on children has been inconsistent. Relatively little is known about other factors important to children’s outcomes. This paper will report on differences in emotional and behavior problems of children of incarcerated mothers when compared to a comparison group of children of convicted but not incarcerated mothers. Furthermore it identifies to what extent incarceration limits the mother’s opportunities for participating in parenting their children and the quality of their coparenting behavior when compared to non-incarcerated mothers.
This paper draws on the larger ‘Children of Incarcerated Mothers in the Netherlands Study (CIM-NL Study)’ in which 124 incarcerated mothers were interviewed about the well-being of a total of 255 children and completed questionnaires about parenting and their children’s problem behavior. For 82 children the caregivers gave information as well and 62 children participated themselves. The comparison group consisted of 55 children whose mothers had been convicted and were serving a community service sentence.

Author

• Sanne Hissel, NSCR