| Maternal incarceration has compounding effects on society, families, and especially children. The following study and literature review explores the psychosocial and developmental effects of maternal incarceration on children from a contextual perspective. The psychological effects of maternal incarceration were assessed by administering the MAACL (Multiple Affect Adjective Check List); SASSI-3 (Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory, 3rd edition); and the CTQ (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire) to 30 adult women. Exactly half of the participants, as children, had mothers who were incarcerated for at least six months; the other half did not have a mother who was incarcerated as they were growing up. The objective was to determine if there was a greater prevalence of depression, anxiety, hostility, physical, sexual, and emotional abuse or neglect, as well as instances of substance abuse among those women who experienced maternal incarceration compared to those who had never had an incarcerated mother. While most of the results were not significant, the participants scored higher on the dysphoric scales and lower on the positive affect scale of the MAACL compared to those of the normal population. Additionally, results from the CTQ revealed women whose mother was incarcerated (Group 1) did report more physical and emotional neglect than those whose mothers were not incarcerated (Group 2). Further, demographic analyses revealed that those women in Group 2 obtained at least a college degree, whereas those in Group 1 generally held less than a high school education.;Keywords: maternal incarceration, substance abuse, child abuse, emotional abuse. |
