College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA, USA.
George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA.
J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2018 Feb;46(2):223-236. doi: 10.1007/s10802-017-0275-8.
Children who live in the context of maternal incarceration (MI) are exposed to both general environmental risk and incarceration-specific risk increasing the probability of their developing externalizing and internalizing behaviors problems. Little research has examined the socio-emotional mechanisms that account for the psychological effects of MI. This research examined children's anger and sadness regulation as mediators between environmental and incarceration-specific risk and psychological functioning. Participants were 117 children (60% Black; 52% boys; M age = 9.85 years, SD = 1.65 years), their incarcerated mother, and current caregiver. All informants completed questionnaires assessing children's anger and sadness regulation as well as externalizing and internalizing behaviors. Mothers and caregivers provided information concerning children's exposure to environmental risk and all three reporters provided information on incarceration-specific risk experiences (ISRE). Structural equation modeling was used to test indirect effects of risk variables (ISRE, environmental) on psychological functioning (externalizing, internalizing behaviors) via emotion regulation (anger, sadness). Gender, age, and race were covariates. The analyses revealed significant indirect effects of incarceration-specific risk on both externalizing and internalizing behavior problems via anger regulation but not via sadness regulation. The findings highlight the centrality of emotion regulation as a mechanism that helps explain the negative psychological outcomes experienced by children exposed to ISRE with implications for preventive interventions.
生活在母亲监禁（MI）环境中的儿童既面临一般环境风险，又面临监禁特有的风险，增加了他们出现外化和内化行为问题的可能性。很少有研究探讨解释 MI 心理影响的社会情感机制。本研究考察了儿童的愤怒和悲伤调节作为环境和监禁特定风险与心理功能之间的中介。参与者为 117 名儿童（黑人占 60%；男孩占 52%；平均年龄为 9.85 岁，标准差为 1.65 岁）、他们监禁的母亲和当前照顾者。所有知情者都完成了评估儿童愤怒和悲伤调节以及外化和内化行为的问卷。母亲和照顾者提供了有关儿童接触环境风险的信息，所有三位报告者都提供了有关监禁特定风险经历（ISRE）的信息。结构方程模型用于检验风险变量（ISRE、环境）通过情绪调节（愤怒、悲伤）对心理功能（外化、内化行为）的间接影响。性别、年龄和种族是协变量。分析结果表明，监禁特有的风险通过愤怒调节对外化和内化行为问题都有显著的间接影响，但通过悲伤调节则没有。研究结果强调了情绪调节作为一种机制的核心地位，这种机制有助于解释儿童接触 ISRE 所经历的负面心理后果，对预防干预具有重要意义。
