Behavioral Reactions of Children to Parental Absence Due to Imprisonment

This study, like numerous others, found parental absence to be associated with problematic behavior on behalf of children. Sex of the absent parent was found to be correlated with the type behavior manifested; absence of the father with "acting-out" and absence of the mother with "acting-in" behavior. This relationship existed regardless of whether parental absence precipitated the problematic behavior or merely aggravated and caused pre-existing problems to become worse. The propensity of children of absent fathers to act-out and of absent mothers to act-in was shown to be related to whether children were aware of their parents' incarceration. This association was true of those children who were told their parents were in prison but untrue of those offspring who were led to believe that their mother or father was absent for other more socially acceptable reasons.