Violence Issues and Child Well-Being: A Study on Incarcerated Families in Kelantan

• Main Authors: Abdul Ghani, Norizan, Mahmud, Che Siti Nuradliza
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: H Social Sciences (General); L Education (General)
• Online Access: http://eprints.unisza.edu.my/3887/1/FH02-FKI-14-00597.pdf; http://eprints.unisza.edu.my/3887/

Children and youth today seem to have more stressor and difficulties in their everyday life especially when a parent goes to prison. Children with incarceration issues receive little attention, but the issue so widespread; concern for the well-being of the effected children has been raised. Incarceration brings long term effects to family members by increasing violence among children; impeding children to have a better picture of their life which directly and indirectly affects children’s well-being. Growing up with violence issues surrounding them is a crucial and devastating experience for the children. Using six selected domains based on the suggestion from Land and colleagues (2001), we assessed the effects of violence issues on children’s well-being with incarceration issues in Kelantan. There are four items of violence being correlate with child well-being score; bullying, disturbance, stigmatization and isolation. These were selected based on the current literature related to children violence. The relationship between children’s well-being score and violence affects were examined in 75 children aged 8 to 17 years with family incarceration issues in Kelantan. Through the findings indicated that children with a higher level of isolation, stigmatization, bullying and disturbance tend to have a low score of the child’s well-being. Children simultaneously indicated that isolation, stigmatization, bullying and disturbance always occurred and was related to their parent’s incarceration status. The negative perception they received also made the children a victim of bullying and thus more isolated.