title: Strengthening Incarcerated Families: Evaluating a Pilot Program for Children of Incarcerated Parents and Their Caregivers.
abstract: Parental incarceration can be devastating for families. Children may experience difficulties, and the stress on caregivers who take on unexpected childrearing is high. We implemented and evaluated a family-level intervention with caregivers and children experiencing parental (typically maternal) incarceration, in a community setting. We partnered with a community-based organization serving families with an incarcerated parent to conduct a pilot trial of the Strengthening Families Program (SFP). Process evaluation indicated high implementation fidelity, satisfaction, engagement, and attendance. Outcome evaluation results indicated positive changes in family-level functioning, caregivers' positive parenting, and caregiver depression symptoms from pre- to post-intervention, with some changes retained at follow-up 4 months later. Implications for preventive interventions with children of incarcerated parents, and their caregivers, are discussed.
authors.affiliation: University of Michigan School of Public Health, Prevention Research Center of Michigan ; Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Michigan.
authors.forename: Alison L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: University of Michigan School of Public Health, Prevention Research Center of Michigan.
authors.forename: Jamie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Perryman
authors.affiliation: Columbia University School of Social Work.
authors.forename: Lara
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Markovitz
authors.affiliation: University of Michigan School of Public Health, Prevention Research Center of Michigan.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Franzen
authors.affiliation: Motherly Intercession, Flint, MI.
authors.forename: Shirley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cochran
authors.affiliation: University of Michigan School of Public Health, Prevention Research Center of Michigan.
authors.forename: Shavonnea
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brown
keywords: Caregivers and children of incarcerated parents; Strengthening Families Program; community-based intervention