| Millions of children in the United States have a parent in jail, and children of incarcerated parents are at increased risk for maladaptive outcomes (Kemper & Rivara, 1993; Murray, Farrington, Sekol, Olsen, & Murray, 2009). However, little is known about family and child processes that are associated with child wellbeing in this population. The current study examines resilience processes in young children aged 2--6 years with a parent in jail (N = 86). Using data from a larger study examining family and child wellbeing in children with a parent in jail, the present study assesses risk indices, including caregiver education and income, caregiving stress, jailed parent-caregiver co-parenting, and stressful life events; family assets, including caregiving quality and child self-regulation; and child competence, including fewer behavior problems and better social competence. Main effects, moderation, and person-centered analyses were performed to investigate potential associations between risk and assets and resilient outcomes. Decreased caregiver stress was associated with fewer behavior problems and more social competence. Increased effortful control was associated with more social competence. Children in the resilient group had higher effortful control, experienced less negative caregiving, and had caregivers with lower reported parenting stress. Positive caregiving moderated the association between stressful life events and internalizing problems. Overall findings suggest that more positive caregiving context and child self-regulation may promote resilience processes among children with a parent in jail. Moreover, despite high levels of risk, some children of jailed parents demonstrate good adaptation. |
