In California, Hispanic children are 2.5 times as likely to have an incarcerated family member than non-Hispanic White youth. Research suggests that, compared to their peers, children with an incarcerated parent can be at increased risk of emotional problems and substance use. However, whether the longitudinal relationship between familial incarceration (FI) before age 18 and substance use and mental health in adulthood varies by the household member who was incarcerated (e.g., parent or extended family) is understudied.

methods

Data were from Project RED, a longitudinal study of acculturation and health among Hispanics in Southern California (N=1094). A multinomial logistic regression model tested the associations between experiencing FI before age 18 (e.g., parental incarceration or other family member incarceration vs. no incarceration) and substance use, mental health issues, and comorbidity (mental health issues and substance use) in adulthood, adjusting for age, gender, nativity, parental education, and childhood maltreatment (e.g., physical, verbal, and sexual abuse).

results

Compared to adults without a history of FI, parental incarceration was a significant predictor for substance use (RRR: 2.60, 95%CI: 1.11-6.09), mental health issues (RRR: 2.62, 95%CI: 1.10-6.20), and comorbidity (RRR: 2.94, 95%CI: 1.31-6.56). Similarly, the incarceration of other family members was also a significant predictor of substance use (RRR: 2.30, 95%CI: 1.16-4.55), mental health issues (RRR: 2.30, 95%CI: 1.15-4.61), and comorbidity (RRR: 2.03, 95%CI: 1.05-3.93), even after adjusting for maltreatment.

conclusion

Our findings provide compelling evidence that being raised in a household with an incarcerated family member, irrespective of relationship, increases the risk for substance use, mental health issues, and comorbidity in adulthood. These results underscore the potential benefits of culturally relevant intervention programs designed to disrupt transgenerational adversity for youth raised in communities disproportionately affected by mass incarceration.