Maternal criminal justice involvement and co-occurring mental health and substance abuse problems: Examining moderation of sex and race on children's mental health

• Sample was from the National Survey on Child and Adolescent Well-being (NSCAW).
• Maternal risks were associated with children’s mental health.
• Sex and race moderated maternal risks and children’s mental health.
• Criminal justice and child welfare practice and research implications are discussed.

Increased attention and concern has been given to the scope and consequences of children's experiences with maternal criminal justice involvement (CJI), yet the empirical literature on the population remains limited. This study examined whether the influences of maternal risks (mental health and substance abuse problems) on children's mental health (internalizing and externalizing behaviors) were moderated by sex and race. The sample included 409 children of CJI mothers aged 5–15 who participated in the National Survey on Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW). Results indicated that maternal risks were significantly associated with internalizing behaviors and that race was significantly associated with internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Sex and race moderated the associations between maternal risks and internalizing behaviors. Females exposed to maternal mental health and substance abuse problems exhibited elevated internalizing behaviors compared to males. Black children exposed to maternal substance abuse had decreased internalizing behaviors as compared to non-Black children. Implications for criminal justice and child welfare practices and future research are discussed.