Date of Award
8-24-2024
Document Type
Doctoral Research Paper
Degree Name
Psy.D.
Organizational Unit
Graduate School of Professional Psychology
First Advisor
Apryl A. Alexander
Second Advisor
Lavita Nadkarni
Third Advisor
Sheila Stanley
Keywords
Adverse childhood experiences, Benevolent childhood experiences, Children of incarcerated parents, Parental incarceration, Stigma, Resilience
Abstract
Mass incarceration is a major issue with rippling effects that impact the incarcerated individuals, their families, and beyond. Existing literature has addressed mass incarceration by focusing on those incarcerated, but little research has examined the needs of their families, particularly their children. Studies estimate that five to eight million children and adolescents have a parent incarcerated (Turney, 2018). The present study is an exploratory study aimed at examining the strengths and needs of children of incarcerated parents (COIP). The current study examines adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and benevolent childhood experiences (BCEs) in COIP. Further, data were collected on stigma and resilience. Results indicated majority of our sample experienced five or more ACEs, which is significantly more than the average experienced by the general population. Higher ACE scores were correlated with poorer adult outcomes, increased likelihood of incarceration, and lowered resilience. Stigma of parental incarceration is a unique, complicated, and significant barrier for COIP that can impact resilience and influence treatment. Findings on BCEs highlighted the importance of feeling connected and cared for. Overall, the risk factors for COIP are complex and varied, but the strengths and resilience of this population should be an equal focus for intervention and policy.
Copyright Date
6-21-2024
Copyright Statement / License for Reuse
All Rights Reserved.
Publication Statement
Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
Rights Holder
Hailey Allo
Provenance
Received from author
File Format
application/pdf
Language
English (eng)
Extent
38 pgs
File Size
858 KB
Recommended Citation
Allo, Hailey, "A Box Full of Darkness: Risk and Resilience in Children of Incarcerated Parents" (2024). Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects. 519.
https://digitalcommons.du.edu/capstone_masters/519