Mothers in prison: perceptions on the experience of motherhood in deprivation of liberty

Abstract

Objective: to analyze the condition of motherhood in deprivation of liberty as perceived by mothers in prison. Method: an exploratory, transversal, qualitative research was conducted using John Bowlby’s Attachment Theory as a theoretical framework with 19 mothers from a women’s penitentiary in northeastern Brazil. Data were collected by means of a sociodemographic questionnaire and semi structured interviews, and  later examined by Bardin’s content analysis. Results: most of the participants are single, between 23 and 28 years old, with an average of two children and a history of alcohol consumption and/or other drugs, arrested for drug trafficking. Content analysis formed two categories: The Meaning of Motherhood and Experiencing Motherhood in Deprivation of Liberty. Conclusion: the binomial mother-infant suffered with parental separation, resulting in child growth and development issues. Incarcerated mothers are exposed to an unhealthy and dehumanized environment, leading to psychological distress.