Children with incarcerated mothers: Developmental outcomes, special challenges and recommendations

Incarcerated mothers represent a rapidly growing sector of the prison population. This review of the literature presents research examining the psychological and socio-emotional well-being of children with an incarcerated mother, highlighting risk and protective factors at different stages of children's development. Child outcomes are reviewed from a developmental perspective with a focus on children's connectedness to family and school. Attachment disruptions and disorganization are explored as outcomes for infants and toddlers; academic difficulties for school-aged children are discussed; and delinquency and risky behaviors that may place adolescent children at increased risk for incarceration themselves are reviewed. Next, special concerns and challenges associated with working with children and families with an incarcerated mother are highlighted. Future research recommendations are made that include methodological improvements and the use of an interdisciplinary perspective that focuses on family processes.