NCJ Number
168214
Journal
Journal of Offender Rehabilitation Volume: 24 Issue: 3/4 Dated: (1997) Pages: 135-152
Date Published
1997
Length
18 pages
Annotation
A 15-week parent education program in an Arkansas State prison for women was evaluated with respect to its impact on the parents' attitudes and their interactions with their children.
Abstract
Information was collected from 44 participants before and after the program by means of a self-esteem index, a parenting attitudes inventory, and structured interviews. The typical participant was a 28-year-old black woman. The majority of the participants had been abused, and 69 percent reported a history of drug and alcohol abuse. Findings indicated a positive increase in self-esteem and significant positive changes in the following parental attitudes: appropriate developmental expectations of children, empathetic awareness of children's needs, alternatives to corporal punishment, and appropriate family roles and responsibilities. In addition, the participants believed that the program helped them improve interactions with their children during visits and their communication through letters. Findings support parent education programs for inmate mothers. Tables and 45 references (Author abstract modified)