The Effect of Secrecy and Social Support on Behavioral Problems in Children of Incarcerated Women

• Published in: Journal of child and family studies Vol. 12; no. 2; pp. 229 - 242
• Main Authors: Hagen, Kristine Amlund, Myers, Barbara J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer 01.06.2003; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adolescents; At Risk Persons; At risk youth; Behavior; Behavior Problems; Behavioural disorders; Behavioural problems; Behavioural psychology; Child Behavior; Children; Children & youth; Correctional Institutions; Departments; Families & family life; Family (Sociological Unit); Females; Group Membership; Imprisonment; Institutionalized Persons; Mothers; Parent Child Relationship; Prisoners; Prisons; Resistance (Psychology); Scores; Secrecy; Social Networks; Social support; Social Support Groups; Stress Variables; USA; Women
• ISSN: 1062-1024; 1573-2843
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1022866917415

We investigated the effects of secrecy regarding their mothers' incarceration and social support on behavioral problems in a group of 116 children (aged 6-13 years, M = 9.00). Children with low levels of social support had more externalizing and internalizing problems, and children who had experienced more life stressors reported more internalizing problems. Significant interactions indicated that both externalizing and internalizing problem scores were higher for children whose social support was poor and secrecy scores were low. Our findings suggest that for children already suffering from little or no support from key people, having little or no constraints regarding talking about mothers' incarceration places children at risk for developing behavioral problems. We discuss explanations for the findings and implications for caregivers.