Relational Spirituality and Maternal Coping in Carceral Contexts: A Participatory Action Study of Meaning-Making and Mental Health Among Formerly Incarcerated Mothers

Author

• Jessica Peters, CUNY City CollegeFollow

Date of Award

2026

Document Type

Thesis

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Ann Marie Yali

Keywords

Maternal incarceration, religion and spirituality, coping, mental health, spiritual coping, qualitative research

Abstract

Maternal incarceration carries significant psychological, familial, and community consequences, yet limited research centers the mental health experiences of mothers themselves. This study explored how religious and spiritual engagement shape mental health and coping among formerly incarcerated mothers using a participatory action research framework. Guided by this, small groups and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 mothers in collaboration with a community-based organization. This approach prioritized lived experience and aimed to reduce barriers to participation among a population often mistrustful of research institutions. Data were analyzed thematically to identify patterns in psychological distress, coping strategies, and meaning-making. Findings revealed pervasive and enduring distress shaped by trauma histories, maternal separation, and carceral conditions. Participants described multiple coping strategies, with relational, peer-based, and spiritual supports, particularly sisterhoods formed with other incarcerated mothers, emerging as central. These relationships enabled shared emotional processing, fostering endurance and resilience rather than symptom resolution. Participants also emphasized the importance of being recognized as individuals, highlighting trust as critical to both support-seeking and research engagement. This study underscores the importance of centering mothers’ voices in incarceration research and suggests that religious, relational, and community-based coping play a vital role in maternal mental health, with implications for clinical practice and future research.

Recommended Citation

Peters, Jessica, "Relational Spirituality and Maternal Coping in Carceral Contexts: A Participatory Action Study of Meaning-Making and Mental Health Among Formerly Incarcerated Mothers" (2026). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/cc_etds_theses/1321