Parent-Child Relationships and the Health of Incarcerated Mothers: Exploring the Mediating Role of Loneliness

The current study utilizes Hawkley, Cacioppo, and colleagues’ model of loneliness and health to examine the influence of parent-child relationships on the health of incarcerated women. Participants were 121 incarcerated female adults who have at least one child, and who completed a questionnaire with measures of parental involvement, parent-child closeness, loneliness, overall health, physical functioning, depression, and anxiety. Results reveal that among incarcerated women, perceptions of close and involved relationships with their children were associated with less loneliness, and less loneliness was associated with better overall health and physical functioning, as well as lower depression and anxiety. Findings highlight the importance of including loneliness in studies that examine the impact of parent-child relationships on health, especially for this vulnerable population, and suggest that it is worthwhile to engage in efforts to help incarcerated women maintain close and involved relationships with their children through high-quality communication.