Effects of Paternal Incarceration on Father Involvement on Child Behavior Outcomes at Middle Childhood

Objectives This study tested the separate and combined effects of father involvement and paternal incarceration on child internalizing and externalizing behaviors at 9 years of age. Methods Our sample contains completed interviews of 2652 fathers, 3515 mothers, and 3377 children. The mean age of fathers was 28 at child age 9. Multiple regression analysis of secondary data was conducted from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a national study that followed a cohort of low-income married and unmarried parents and their young children living in 20 US cities. Results Higher socioeconomic status and greater father involvement were associated with lower child internalizing and externalizing behaviors, while paternal incarceration for property crimes was associated with greater externalizing in boys and internalizing in girls. Incarceration for drug crimes was associated with lower father involvement. Conclusions Multiple regression analyses confirmed the independent effects of father involvement on child internalizing and externalizing, but the incarceration for property crimes effects were attenuated and moderated by SES.