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Parental Incarceration, Child Adversity, and Child Health: A Strategic Comparison Approach

Author

Listed:
  • Dylan B. Jackson

    (Department of Population, Family, and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA)

  • Alexander Testa

    (Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78207, USA)

  • Daniel C. Semenza

    (Department of Sociology, Anthropology & Criminal Justice, Rutgers University-Camden, Camden, NJ 08102, USA)

  • Michael G. Vaughn

    (College for Public Health and Social Justice, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO 63103, USA)

Abstract

Background: Research points to parental incarceration as an important social determinant of child health. Even so, studies examining the health impact of parental incarceration in the context of diverse childhood stressors and adversities are lacking. Methods: The present study uses a large, nationally representative sample to compare U.S. children who were exposed to parental incarceration to a strategic comparison group of U.S. children who were not exposed to parental incarceration, but were nonetheless exposed to alternative family stressors and adversities. Results: The initial findings generally reveal worse health among children exposed to parental incarceration compared to those who are not exposed. Even so, these differences were partially or completely attenuated when comparing the incarceration-exposed group to more comparable groups of children exposed to a varying degree of alternative stressors/adversities. Conclusions: Programmatic efforts targeting parental incarceration as a means of promoting child health may be enhanced by adequately addressing co-occurring family stressors and child adversities.

Suggested Citation

  • Dylan B. Jackson & Alexander Testa & Daniel C. Semenza & Michael G. Vaughn, 2021. "Parental Incarceration, Child Adversity, and Child Health: A Strategic Comparison Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-15, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:7:p:3384-:d:523656
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Devah Pager, 2003. "The mark of a criminal record," Natural Field Experiments 00319, The Field Experiments Website.
    2. Bryan L. Sykes & Becky Pettit, 2014. "Mass Incarceration, Family Complexity, and the Reproduction of Childhood Disadvantage," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 654(1), pages 127-149, July.
    3. Amanda Geller & Irwin Garfinkel & Carey E. Cooper & Ronald B. Mincy, 2009. "Parental Incarceration and Child Well‐Being: Implications for Urban Families," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 90(5), pages 1186-1202, December.
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    5. Jackson, Dylan B. & Johnson, Kecia R. & Vaughn, Michael G. & Hinton, Marissa E., 2019. "The role of neighborhoods in household food insufficiency: Considering interactions between physical disorder, low social capital, violence, and perceptions of danger," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 221(C), pages 58-67.
    6. Amanda Geller & Irwin Garfinkel & Bruce Western, 2011. "Paternal Incarceration and Support for Children in Fragile Families," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 48(1), pages 25-47, February.
    7. Amanda Geller & Carey Cooper & Irwin Garfinkel & Ofira Schwartz-Soicher & Ronald Mincy, 2012. "Beyond Absenteeism: Father Incarceration and Child Development," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 49(1), pages 49-76, February.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Qi Li & Cynthia G. Colen, 2024. "Racial Disparities in the Relationship Between Parental Incarceration and Childhood Obesity," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 43(4), pages 1-22, August.
    2. Sara N. Naicker & Marilyn N. Ahun & Sahba Besharati & Shane A. Norris & Massimiliano Orri & Linda M. Richter, 2022. "The Long-Term Health and Human Capital Consequences of Adverse Childhood Experiences in the Birth to Thirty Cohort: Single, Cumulative, and Clustered Adversity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-19, February.
    3. Alicia Herreros-Fraile & Rodrigo J. Carcedo & Antonio Viedma & Victoria Ramos-Barbero & Noelia Fernández-Rouco & Pilar Gomiz-Pascual & Consuelo del Val, 2023. "Parental Incarceration, Development, and Well-Being: A Developmental Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-44, February.
    4. Jackson, Dylan B. & Testa, Alexander & Turney, Kristin, 2022. "Unpacking the connection between parental incarceration and parenting stress: The mediating role of child health and health care strains," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    5. Julie Poehlmann-Tynan & Luke Muentner & Kaitlyn Pritzl & Hilary Cuthrell & Lauren A. Hindt & Laurel Davis & Rebecca Shlafer, 2021. "The Health and Development of Young Children Who Witnessed Their Parent’s Arrest Prior to Parental Jail Incarceration," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-30, April.

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