Children of Incarcerated Mothers and Their Caregivers: Factors Affecting the Quality of Their Relationship

Abstract

We examined the quality of the relationship between children of incarcerated mothers and their kinship caregivers, to investigate whether perceived levels of warmth and acceptance were related to assessments of the children's behaviors. The sample consisted of 69 children (6 to 12 years) with currently incarcerated mothers who attended a recreational summer camp, and 25 of their caregivers. Children who felt lower levels of warmth and acceptance from their caregivers self-reported greater internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Caregivers' warmth and acceptance toward the children was lower when they assessed the children's behavior as difficult and the caregivers' parenting stress was high.