title: Preschool Outcomes of Children Who Lived as Infants in a Prison Nursery.
abstract: This study examined long-term outcomes of children who spent their first one to eighteen months in a US prison nursery. Behavioral development in 47 preschool children who lived in a prison nursery was compared with 64 children from a large national dataset who were separated from their mothers because of incarceration. Separation was associated with significantly worse anxious/depressed scores, even after controlling for risks in the caregiving environment. Findings suggest that prison nursery co-residence with developmental support confers some resilience in children who experience early maternal incarceration. Co-residence programs should be promoted as a best practice for incarcerated childbearing women.
authors.affiliation: Columbia University School of Nursing.
authors.forename: Lorie S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Goshin
authors.affiliation: Columbia University School of Nursing.
authors.forename: Mary W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Byrne
authors.affiliation: Columbia University School of Nursing.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Blanchard-Lewis
keywords: behavioral development; maternal incarceration; prison nursery