Hiding the Truth: Examining the Reasons for Concealment of Parental Incarceration from Children through the Lens of Self-Stigma and Self-Compassion

Background:
Ambiguous Loss Theory posits that uncertainty surrounding the absence of a primary caregiver can be traumatic for a child, hindering their ability to cope. Despite this fact, a significant number of Hong Kong caregivers (41.6%) opt to conceal from their children the status and/or reasons for a parent’s absence due to incarceration. Much remains to be explored about the reasons behind the decision for concealment versus disclosure of parental imprisonment to children. Previous research suggests that self-stigma among parents or caregivers may lead to concealment, while self-compassion, which involves a non-judgmental understanding of one’s own failures, may facilitate open disclosure of information about parental incarceration. Understanding the complex interplay between these factors is critical to supporting families impacted by parental incarceration. This study examines whether self-stigma and self-compassion predict the reason for concealment of parental incarceration from children, with implications for practitioners in the criminal justice system.

Methods:
Through community organizations, 71 ex-offender parents and caregivers of children with an incarcerated parent (M_age= 44.95, SD_age= 13.02) were recruited for this cross-sectional, correctional research study. Upon receipt of consent, participants were required to complete a series of self-administered questionnaires. The level of self-stigma experienced by individuals with a concealable identity was assessed with the Self-Stigma Scale Short Form (α=.93) on a four-point scale from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree”. The level of self-compassion of ex-offenders and caregivers was measured with the Self-Compassion Scale Short Form (α=.74) on a five-point scale from “almost never” to “almost always”. Reason for concealment of parental incarceration to children was assessed with the Reasons for Disclosure and Concealment Scale (α=.92) on a five-point scale from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree”.

Findings:
Concealment reason was positively and negatively related to self-stigma (r =.47, p<.01) and self-compassion (r =-.35, p<.01), respectively. A significantly negative correlation was reported between self-stigma and self-compassion (r =-.46, p<.01). In the hierarchical multiple regression, self-stigma was shown to uniquely predict changes (F(6, 46,)=.46, p<.01, R²=.30) in concealment reason. The interaction term between self-compassion and self-stigma (B =-.06, SE =.03, p<.05) was significant for the changes in concealment (ΔR² =.06, F(1,45) = 4.21, p=.05). The variation in concealment reason was more significantly related to self-stigma when ex-offenders and caregivers reported low self-compassion (1 SD below the mean) (B=.75, SE=.21, p<.001).

Implications:
Our findings underscore that self-stigma and self-compassion are important factors in determining whether ex-offenders and caregivers choose to conceal or disclose information about parental incarceration to children. Specifically, higher levels of self-stigma are associated with greater reason for concealment, and the interaction between self-stigma and self-compassion significantly predicts the variation in concealment reason. These findings have important implications for practitioners working with families impacted by parental incarceration, highlighting the need to address self-stigma and incorporate the cultivation of self-compassion to facilitate open communication and support for children and families involved in the criminal justice system. This study adds to our comprehension of the intricacies surrounding parent-child communication and information management in families where a parent is serving a sentence of incarceration.