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The effects of maternal incarceration on adolescent children

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Abstract

This study examined aspects of the school, community, and home adjustment of 58 adolescents between the ages of 13 and 20 whose mothers were incarcerated. High rates of school drop-out (36%) were observed. Dropping out was related to their mother's educational attainment. These adolescents were more than four times as likely to be out of school than a sample of their best friends; four times more likely to be suspended; three times more likely to be significantly absent from school and nearly four times as likely to be failing classes. More than half of these children required school visits for disciplinary reasons during the previous 12 months, and more than a quarter of them had been arrested. School problems and delinquent behavior might be related to the extent of maternal drug use. Although these adolescents initially experienced difficulty adapting to structured placements, those who were living in homes with rules and with family members had better educational outcomes, as did children who communicated frequently with their mothers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Graduate Psychology, James Madison University, MSC 7401, 22807, Harrisonburg, VA

    Ashton D. Trice & JoAnne Brewster

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  1. Ashton D. Trice
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  2. JoAnne Brewster
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Authors' Note: This research was supported by grants from the American Bar Association and the Fund for the Improvement of Post Secondary Education, US Department of Education.

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Trice, A.D., Brewster, J. The effects of maternal incarceration on adolescent children. J Police Crim Psych 19, 27–35 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02802572

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