Characteristics Associated with Role Conflict in Mothers who are Incarcerated

Abstract

This study examines the relationships between a mother's perception of whether or not her minor children would live with her after incarceration, which is related to role conflict experienced by incarcerated mothers, and the following variables: (1) ethnicity, (2) mother's closeness to her parents while growing up, and (3) whether or not minor children lived with the mother prior to incarceration. A hierarchical log-linear model was used to analyze all variables and their associations simultaneously. A statistically significant relationship was found between whether or not mothers lived with their minor children prior to incarceration and whether or not they perceive that they will live with them after incarceration. Women who lived with any of their minor children prior to incarceration were more likely to expect to live with them after incarceration. A significantly statistic relationship was also found between whether or not mothers lived with their minor children prior to incarceration and ethnicity. African American women tended to expect to live with their children after incarceration more so than women of other ethnicities.