My child the hero: How a collaborative writing project changes prisoners’ self-concept and family connection

Abstract

This paper reports a creative writing intervention which was designed to improve family relationships, self-concept and skills of people in prison. Male prisoners (N = 8) produced a novel for their children. The novel was thematically analysed alongside interview data from the writers, their families (N = 15) and prison staff (N = 3) to evaluate the impact of the project. The novel had themes of “Challenging the notion of ‘bad’” and “people change for the better.” Interview data suggested that the intervention helped families feel more connected. It also led to better relationships between the participants themselves. Interviews suggested that participants felt a sense of achievement and that they had developed their skills. Findings suggest that the project was effective in enhancing connections between family members and led to a more positive self-concept and enhanced skills.