Resilience in Adult Women whose Mothers were Incarcerated during their Childhood

The children of incarcerated parents have often been described in research as the "hidden victims" of their parent's criminal behavior. Much of the available, limited research on their plight focuses on paternal criminality and explores the impact on sons and daughters as an undifferentiated group. This study examined the effects of maternal incarceration on daughters and the role of resilience in their lives in overcoming this difficult separation. The aim was to better understand their experiences and identify those protective factors most significant to their capacity to thrive and interrupt the intergenerational cycle of delinquent behavior. This phenomenological study examined the experiences of seven women residing throughout California. The multi-ethnic sample was comprised of women between the ages of 19 and 37 whose mothers had been incarcerated for a period of at least six months during their upbringing. Participants were recruited from community colleges and vocational programs via email and paper fliers and invited to contact the researcher for a screening telephone interview. Upon having met participation requirements, they were invited to a semi-structured in person interview. Following narrative transcription and content analysis, themes were identified and reported. The findings of this study have several implications for clinical work with children, adults, and families of incarcerated mothers and offers recommendations to policymakers.