Psychosocial Support and Emotional Well-Being of Children with Incarcerated Parents: Evidence from Prison Fellowship Rwanda's Child Journey Program
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53983/ijmds.v15n06.001Keywords:
psychosocial support, emotional well-being, parental incarceration, child resilience, Prison Fellowship Rwanda, caregiver support, school-based interventions, peer support groupsAbstract
Children of incarcerated parents represent one of the most psychosocially vulnerable groups globally, yet empirical evidence on the effectiveness of structured psychosocial support programs in African contexts remains limited. This study examined the influence of psychosocial support on the emotional well-being of children enrolled in Prison Fellowship Rwanda's Child Journey Program (CJP). A mixed-methods cross-sectional case study design was employed. Using stratified random sampling, 337 respondents were selected from a target population of 2,137 individuals comprising child beneficiaries, caregivers, school-based personnel, program staff, and volunteers. Structured questionnaires yielded quantitative data analysed through SPSS version 27 using descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression, while qualitative data from interviews and focus group discussions were analysed thematically using NVivo. Findings revealed statistically significant positive relationships between caregiver support, school-based emotional support, and peer support groups and children's emotional well-being (p < 0.05). Caregiver support exerted the strongest influence (β = 0.341), followed by school-based support (β = 0.318) and peer support (β = 0.296). The model explained 55.1% of variance in emotional well-being outcomes. These results underscore the critical role of integrated, multi-level psychosocial interventions in promoting emotional resilience among children affected by parental incarceration and provide evidence to inform child protection policy and program design in Rwanda and comparable Sub-Saharan African contexts.
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