Young Children’s Behavioral and Emotional Reactions to Plexiglas and Video Visits with Jailed Parents

Children’s Contact with Incarcerated Parents

“…Although some caregivers have reported concerns about children's acting out behaviors prior to or following visits to corrections facilities, did not replicate this fi nding. Poehlmann-Tynan et al ( 2015 ) noted increased observer-rated behavioral dysregulation in the jail setting during non-contact visits with incarcerated parents (compared to the home setting), although they did not analyze caregiver-reported behavior problems in this report.…”

“…We briefl y mention several such implications here, although Poehlmann-Tynan ( 2015 ) goes into more depth about them in the Summary and Recommendations chapter of this monograph, including discussion of the materials that Sesame developed for children with incarcerated parents. The most obvious recommendation that we see coming from these data is the need for child-friendly visitation in corrections facilities.…”

“…In the Poehlmann-Tynan et al ( 2015 ) study, only one child (of 20 observed) showed overt signs of fear during security procedures at the jail, although many children exhibited periods of serious or somber observation of what was happening around them at the jail. Although physiological measures would be needed to examine children's biological stress response while in the jail setting, adults can still be sensitive to children's needs for reassurance and support during unfamiliar or anxiety-producing experiences.…”

“…Moreover, the McClure et al ( 2015 ) study presented longitudinal data, following families into the reunifi cation period. analyzed letter-writing and telephone calls separately from personal visits, although McClure et al did not, and Poehlmann-Tynan et al ( 2015 ) further examined the processes that occur during different types of visits.…”

“…This result is not surprising, as children's proximal experiences of in-person barrier visits vastly differ from their experiences talking with a parent on the telephone or reading and writing letters. To further understand the processes that occur during barrier visits and other non-contact visitation procedures, Poehlmann-Tynan et al ( 2015 ) used observational methods in the jail setting. The study highlighted the importance of child-caregiver relationships and supports for young children during the visit process, as well as the tendency for children to become more behaviorally dysregulated during non-contact visits compared to their home environments.…”