Although father–child relationships (FCRs) are central to children’s experience of paternal imprisonment, few studies address this subject. A systematic review was conducted to synthesize the literature on paternal imprisonment and FCRs. Four academic databases were searched for peer-reviewed studies. Thirty studies were identified. It was found that FCRs most often deteriorate due to paternal imprisonment, but sometimes remain stable or change positively. Four key factors were found to influence FCRs: (a) the quality of preprison FCRs, (b) the frequency and experience of father–child contact during imprisonment, (c) the child’s primary caregivers’ role in facilitating father–child contact, and (d) prison barriers for maintaining FCRs during imprisonment. The interplay between these factors is essential for understanding FCRs in this context, which may explain children’s divergent experiences of paternal imprisonment. An integrated framework of FCRs in the context of paternal imprisonment is presented. Limitations and directions for research are discussed.

Thematic analysis (TA) has become a prominent qualitative research method for identifying patterns in experiences, responses, narratives, and meanings in relation to a research question. In this paper, we provide researchers with an understanding of different approaches to TA and offer practical guidance on conducting a blended approach to TA, which combines the strengths of different TA approaches. Despite their prevalence in the literature, blended approaches to TA are rarely clearly illustrated in research publications. To address this gap, we present a detailed case study of a blended approach to TA, based on a qualitative study exploring the experiences of incarcerated fathers participating in a prison family program in the Netherlands. This case study offers researchers practical guidance for thoughtfully implementing a blended approach to TA in their own work. It also highlights the nuances and complexities of a blended approach to TA, emphasizing the importance of aligning the chosen TA approach to the research context and objectives. We conclude by discussing the value of blended approaches to TA in qualitative research, underscoring the importance of thoughtful application and transparent reporting of these approaches.

Backgrounds: Non-attendance in mental healthcare is a substantial problem. Research has shown that sending a short message service (SMS) reminder could reduce non-attendance by 50 percent in general health services and by 25 percent in mental health institutions. However, no studies exist on the effect of sending SMS reminders in mental healthcare for addiction. Objectives: To examine the influence of SMS reminders on non-attendance in mental health care for addiction and to examine whether different effects occur between appointments for intake or for treatment. Methods. In a specialized institution for addiction care in the north of the Netherlands 193.474 appointments of outpatient patients, representing 12.797 unique patients, were analyzed for non-attendance and related to registered SMS reminders. Results: Non-attendance was statistically significantly lower for appointments of patients who had received an SMS reminder (20.5%) than for appointments of patients who had not received a reminder (21.9%). Effects were found to be greater for intake appointments in several analyses. Conclusions: Sending an SMS reminder is associated with a statistically significant lower non-attendance at appointments by patients with a substance use disorder, but the differences have hardly any clinical significance. Special characteristics of the population of patients with substance use disorders may explain this small clinical effect.

Little is known about the conditions under which paternal incarceration is harmful to children and the mechanisms that explain this. This study addressed the family relationship context in the associations between paternal incarceration and adolescents’ internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors. Using data from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a moderated mediation model was specified where paternal incarceration predicted adolescents’ internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors through family relationship quality, and where the mediating role of family relationship quality was moderated by pre-incarceration family relationship characteristics. Using latent profile analyses, three pre-incarceration family clusters were identified (“Cohesive”; “Fragmented”; “Disharmonious”). Analyses indicated that the association between paternal incarceration and family relationship quality differed across pre-incarceration family clusters and that decreased father-mother relationship quality mediated the negative association between paternal incarceration and adolescents’ internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors among “Cohesive” and “Fragmented”, but not among “Disharmonious” family clusters. The findings suggest that adolescents with more harmonious pre-incarceration family relationships are most vulnerable to the negative consequences of paternal incarceration. The study demonstrates the need to consider the family relationship context to understand the intergenerational consequences of incarceration.

Various programmes have been implemented in prisons to strengthen parental involvement and parent–child relationships during imprisonment. In-depth insights into such programmes are limited. This qualitative study compared the experiences of two groups of imprisoned fathers in the Netherlands: fathers who participated in a family approach programme ( N = 10) and fathers in a comparison group ( N = 29). Based on a thematic analysis, four key differences were identified between the family approach group and the comparison group. Fathers in the family approach group: (1) described more positive engagement activities in direct father–child interactions, (2) reflected more positively on their fathering role during imprisonment, (3) structurally included participation in the family approach programme in their narratives of how imprisonment affected father–child relationship quality, and (4) more often expressed feelings of uncertainty and caution when discussing family life after imprisonment. The findings of this study are informative for the mechanisms behind prison-based parenting and family relationship programmes and illustrate the potential of these programmes to alleviate the unintended negative impact of imprisonment on parental involvement and family relationships. Based on these findings, recommendations for further research and practice are provided.

Little is known about the link between fatherhood and reoffending among people released from prison. This study examined the association between fatherhood, residential status, and registered reconviction rates using data from a Dutch pre-trial prison cohort sample ( N = 845, 42.5% fathers). The results show that fathers who co-resided with a partner and children 6 months after release from prison were significantly less likely to be reconvicted 18 months after release than non-fathers and fathers who did not reside with a partner and children. This paper concludes that fathers’ larger family context and reoffending risk factors need to be viewed in conjunction to understand the relationship between fatherhood and reoffending after release from prison.