Maternidade em Contexto de Cárcere: Trajetória de Vida, Experiências Adversas na Infância, Forças de Caráter e Crescimento Pós-Traumático

Abstract

Research on the topic of incarceration, both at the national and international levels, rarely focuses on the characteristics of the incarcerated female population, especially regarding pregnant women or women accompanied by their children in this context and their psychological characteristics. The prison system was initially created to meet the needs of a predominantly male population; however, the incarcerated female population has increased exponentially over the past decade, with Brazil ranking third among the countries that incarcerate the most women. With the rise in female incarceration, it has become more evident that the specific needs of this population are being neglected and that women who experience motherhood in the prison context suffer from violations of rights and precarious conditions. Thus, for a better understanding and improved management of this population within the system, it is necessary to identify their characteristics, with a focus on their life courses. This research is part of the project Mothers and Children in the Prison Context: Life Course, Care Practices, and Support Networks, which takes place in Brazil and Portugal. The aim of this study is to analyze life courses by examining Adverse Childhood Experiences and psychological characteristics (Character Strengths and Post-Traumatic Growth) among pregnant women or women accompanied by their children in prison. The study is cross-sectional, descriptive, and exploratory, with a quantitative and qualitative approach. The data presented in this study include 347 records of biopsychosocial data collected over a decade, between 2014 and 2024, made possible through the implementation of several projects at the Mother and Child Unit of the Female Custody and Reintegration Unit in the municipality of Ananindeua, in the Metropolitan Region of Belém, in partnership with the Federal University of Pará, as well as a convenience sample composed of a group of 17 pregnant participants or women accompanied by their children who were present at the unit in 2025. The instruments used were: the Census of services provided by the project “Maintenance of the ‘Bebê Contente’ Playroom”; the Biopsychosocial Characterization and Life Course Questionnaire – Motherhood in Prison, developed by the author; the International Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire, adapted for use in Brazil; the Character Strengths Scale, adapted for use in Brazil; and the Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory, adapted for use in Brazil. Exploratory and correlational analyses (Spearman) were conducted. Studying this population is indispensable for understanding the intensification of their incarceration and the challenges they face, in order to promote changes in the prison system that provide more dignified treatment for these women and their children within this context.