Title
Mental Illness: The Unspoken Lived Experiences of Family Members of Incarcerated African American Males.
Proposal Focus
Research
Presentation Type
Panel/Roundtable Session
Abstract
The 2010 census indicated that African Americans constitute just over 13% of the United States population, but accounts for over 40% of the prison population (U.S. Department of Justice, 2013). African-Americans are imprisoned at a ratio of 5:1 times of their White counterparts (Simon, 2016). This massive incarceration has resulted in a higher incidence of mental health issues (Justice, 2014), of not just the incarcerated individuals, but also immediate family members. Studies have shown that children of incarcerated parents are at increased risk for both internalizing and externalizing behavior problems, cognitive delays and difficulties in school (Shafer, 2013). Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the lived experiences of family members of incarcerated African American males, facing mental illnesses.
The study will utilize Intersectionality and the Critical Race Theory as the theoretical frameworks, and will employ a phenomenological qualitative approach. Purposive sampling technique will be used to select participants in Northwest Arkansas.
Keywords
Incarceration, Mental Illness, African American
Location
Cornerstone Ballroom Side B
Start Date
13-4-2019 9:00 AM
End Date
13-4-2019 10:00 AM
Mental Illness: The Unspoken Lived Experiences of Family Members of Incarcerated African American Males.
Cornerstone Ballroom Side B
The 2010 census indicated that African Americans constitute just over 13% of the United States population, but accounts for over 40% of the prison population (U.S. Department of Justice, 2013). African-Americans are imprisoned at a ratio of 5:1 times of their White counterparts (Simon, 2016). This massive incarceration has resulted in a higher incidence of mental health issues (Justice, 2014), of not just the incarcerated individuals, but also immediate family members. Studies have shown that children of incarcerated parents are at increased risk for both internalizing and externalizing behavior problems, cognitive delays and difficulties in school (Shafer, 2013). Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the lived experiences of family members of incarcerated African American males, facing mental illnesses.
The study will utilize Intersectionality and the Critical Race Theory as the theoretical frameworks, and will employ a phenomenological qualitative approach. Purposive sampling technique will be used to select participants in Northwest Arkansas.