'Maybe it'll take my mind off the situation': Stressors, coping, and social support for African-American women with incarcerated partners Öffentlichkeit

Abstract

Disparate arrest and sentencing practices have created an era of mass incarceration, particularly for African-American men. This mass incarceration reverberates through communities: at arrest, approximately 50% of men are in a committed heterosexual relationship. Thus, it is important to identify mass incarceration's indirect effects. This analysis sought to identify unique emotional stressors, coping strategies, and support sources for African-American women with incarcerated partners.

African-American women (N=31) with recently incarcerated male partners were recruited into this longitudinal qualitative study. Twenty participants were alcohol or drug misusers (AOD). Each participant took part in four one-on-one semi-structured interviews over a year; the first two waves of data were analyzed here. Grounded theory was used for analysis. In addition, the study examined differences between AOD and non-AOD participants. Lazarus and Folkman's Theory of Stress and the concept of resilience were used to provide a theoretical framework.

Findings suggest many women experienced emotional stressors such as loss of intimacy with partner, increased parenting responsibilities, and conflict with others. However, women who were financially dependent on the male partner pre-incarceration experienced greater difficulty adjusting to the incarceration. These women also encountered stress related to financial hardships such as being financially dependent on others and guilt at not being able to provide for herself, her children, and her incarcerated partner. Most AOD participants were financially dependent on their partner pre-incarceration and more commonly experienced housing instability and domestic abuse throughout the relationship. However, AOD women may have seen their partner's incarceration as an opportunity to make significant life changes.

Social withdrawal and internal coping strategies (e.g. substance use, praying, etc.) were used most often immediately following incarceration. Over time, the women began engaging in social interaction (external coping strategies) for support. Fear of incarcerated-related stigma was a strong factor for many women in deciding to seek social support. Future research on this population needs to be conducted to provide a deeper understanding of the processes and effects of these stressors and coping strategies. In addition, more widespread and detailed resources relating to correctional policies and sources for financial and emotional assistance are needed for these women.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction...1

Theoretical Framework...3

Emotional Stress...3
Stigma...4
Resilience...5
Coping...6

Purpose of Analysis...6

Chapter 2: Literature Review...8

Prevalence of Partner Incarceration...8
Increased Responsibilities: Becoming the Sole Provider...9
Increased Responsibilities: Providing for the Inmate...11
Maintaining Relationship with Inmate...11
Partner Incarceration and Alcohol or Drug Misusing Women...12
Emotional Stress...13
Stress, Coping, and Seeking Support in African-American Women...15
Seeking Formal Support...17
Consequences of Obtaining Social Support...18

Chapter 3: Methods...20

Study Description: Project RISE...20
Sample Eligibility...20
Recruitment...21
Consent...22
In-depth Interviews...22
Interviewers...24
Retention...25
Ethics/Institutional Review Board...25
Data Analysis...26

Chapter 4: Results...30

Study Participants...30
Introduction...30
Disruption of Family Unit...31
Maintaining a Relationship with the Partner's children...35
Conflict with Others Due to Relationship...36
Providing for the Incarcerated Partner...37
Feeling Unappreciated by the Partner...39
Taking on the Partner's Burdens...40
Loss of Emotional and Physical Intimacy...42
Suspected Infidelity...44
Relationship Expectations...45
Uncertainty of Partner's Sentence...46
New Partnerships...48
Stressors for Alcohol and Drug Misusing Women...49
Coping Strategies...53
Social Withdrawal...54
Internal Strategies...55
External Strategies...56
Seeking Social Support...57

Chapter 5: Discussion...62

Strengths...64
Limitations...65
Implications for Public Health Practice...66
Future Recommendations for Research...68
Conclusions...69

References...70
Appendix...77

Appendix A: Preliminary Interview Guide Domains...77
Appendix B: Interview Guide-Wave 1...79

About this Master's Thesis

Rights statement

• Permission granted by the author to include this thesis or dissertation in this repository. All rights reserved by the author. Please contact the author for information regarding the reproduction and use of this thesis or dissertation.

School	Rollins School of Public Health
Department	Behavioral Sciences and Health Education
Degree	MPH
Submission	Master's Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Health Sciences, Public Health
Stichwort	stress social support African-American women African-American relationships partner incarceration male incarceration coping strategies children with incarcerated parents
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Cooper, Hannah, Emory University
Committee Members	Windle, Michael, Emory University
Partnering Agencies	Emory University schools, faculty or affiliated programs

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