Preschool Outcomes of Children Who Lived as Infants in a Prison Nursery. (June 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Goshin, Lorie S.; Byrne, Mary W.; Blanchard-Lewis, Barbara
• Is Part Of: Prison journal. Volume 94:Number 2(2014:Jun.)
• Page Start: 139
• Page End: 158
• Publication Date: 2014-06
• Subjects: prison nursery -- maternal incarceration -- behavioral development; Prisons -- Periodicals; Prisons -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 365.6
• DOI: 10.1177/0032885514524692
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0032-8855

Abstract

This study examined long-term outcomes of children who spent their first 1 to 18 months in a U.S. prison nursery. Behavioral development in 47 preschool children who lived in a prison nursery was compared with 64 children from a large national dataset who were separated from their mothers because of incarceration. Separation was associated with significantly worse anxious/depressed scores, even after controlling for risks in the caregiving environment. Findings suggest that prison nursery co-residence with developmental support confers some resilience in children who experience early maternal incarceration. Co-residence programs should be promoted as a best practice for incarcerated childbearing women.