"IT'S LIKE MISSION IMPOSSIBLE": BREAKING THE BARRIERS OF COMMUNICATION AND SUPPORT WITH INCARCERATED FAMILY MEMBERS

Abstract

The United States houses more prisoners than any other nation, with nearly 2.3 million individuals currently serving time in prison (BBC, 2020). Social support and positive interpersonal family relationships are paramount to individuals who are incarcerated, as effective and socially supportive communication can improve emotional well-being, alleviate stress and depressive symptoms, and decrease rates of recidivism (Cochran, 2014; MacGeorge, Feng, & Burleson, 2011). However, there are countless barriers, many of which are imposed by the correctional facility itself, that prevent incarcerated individuals from receiving adequate and/or useful social support from their families.Utilizing a feminist research lens and grounded theory, I conducted an in-depth exploration of social support provision with individuals who have a family member who is, or who has been, incarcerated in order to learn more about their sense-making processes for providing (or declining to provide) social support. Of special interest are the barriers to communication experienced by support providers. In addition, I sought to determine if providers are ever less than fully authentic in their support provision, as well as learning more about how and/or why they may manipulate information to protect their incarcerated family member, due to their vulnerabilities and unique circumstances. Data for this study was collected via qualitative, semi-structured interviews. Other issues that are explored in this project include the types of support family members typically provide to their incarcerated family members, as well as family members’ perceptions of: (a) how incarceration challenges their interpersonal relationships, (b) the effects of being a support provider to an incarcerated individual, and (c) their incarcerated family member’s responsibility for their incarceration.