A population in the dark: an exploratory study of the effects of familial incarceration on youth

With incarceration rates steadily increasing in the United States, more and more youth are experiencing the impact of familial incarceration. Unfortunately, most of the research conducted on the effects of incarceration on youth centers on the incarceration of a parent, and seldom is the incarceration of other family members taken into account. This narrow focus fails to capture the entire essence of this population of youth. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to begin to gain a better understanding of this population of children and adolescents so that we, as psychologists and other mental health providers will be more knowledgeable and effective in our interventions. This exploratory study examined the experiences of young adults (ages 18-30), who had encountered the incarceration of a family member during their childhood or adolescence. A qualitative analysis of 10 interviews was completed, utilizing a grounded theory approach. During the interviews, participants described the impact of the incarceration on their family, academic, and social life. Furthermore, participants identified various coping mechanisms and supports that they utilized in order to persevere through this difficult time in their lives. Lastly, participants described various resources they felt would have benefited them, and provided advice for youth whose family members are currently incarcerated. Results from this study indicated various themes related to youth’s experiences, including the importance of extended family members (especially for youth of families of color), parentification of the youth, sense of loss, stigma, and impact on academic achievement. The current study also uncovered themes about how participants coped with the incarceration of a family member, including coping strategies that were utilized, opportunities that were not available at the time, and resources that were helpful and unhelpful for them in the coping process. Implications for future research, mental health providers, program development, policy, schools, families, and youth were also discussed.Psy.D.Includes bibliographical referencesby Amanda Nicole Morale