Contact Between Incarcerated Mothers and Their Children

Incarcerated mothers (n = 357) at a maximum-security prison participated in a study of the relationship between contact and parenting stress, using the parenting stress index for incarcerated women (PSI-IW; Houck & Loper, 2002). The study examined contact before incarceration and the frequency of telephone, letter, and visitation contact during incarceration, as well as stress related to attachment, parental competence, and visitation. Mothers who were responsible for their child's care before incarceration were more likely to write letters at least several times a week, speak with their child on the telephone at least once a week, and receive visits from their child at least four times a year. Results indicated that higher levels of contact between mothers and their children were associated with reduced levels of parenting stress. In particular, letter writing during incarceration was associated with increased attachment and improved sense of parental competence.