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The Consequences for Preschool Children of a Parent's Detention: A Preliminary South African Clinical Study of Caregivers' Reports
Author(s) -
Skinner Donald,
Swartz Leslie
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
journal of child psychology and psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.652
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1469-7610
pISSN - 0021-9630
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-7610.1989.tb00238.x
Subject(s) - psychology , aggression , anxiety , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , psychiatry
Semi‐structured interviews on the consequences for preschool children of a parent's detention were conducted with primary caregivers of 19 South African children aged 2–6 yrs. Caregivers reported emotional problems, separation anxiety and fear as well as physical problems, aggression, secondary enuresis and developmental difficulties. Adaptive mechanisms arc described. Fantasies focused chiefly on children's images of the detention situation, and on plans to alter current circumstances, Children who felt secure in the environment seemed generally to adjust better to the experience, particularly in the long term.