Seminar
Abstract: This study extends research on the consequences of parental imprisonment for children's wellbeing by examining the moderating role of maternal social support in the parental incarceration-child behavior relationship. Specifically, I ask: Does mothers' access to social support weaken the impact of paternal incarceration on children's externalized behavior problems. I posit that the odds of engaging in problem behaviors are lower among offenders' children whose mothers have access to support when compared to their counterparts whose caregivers cannot rely on others for assistance. This hypothesis is tested using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N=2,711) and multilevel models. Results show that the effect of paternal imprisonment on children's behavior is contingent upon mothers' access to social support. While incarceration is harmful to children's wellbeing, paternal imprisonment has a less severe influence on children's behavior when mothers have access to individuals who can provide assistance when needed.