Understanding Czech Children’s Experiences of Parental Incarceration – Ambiguous Loss and Gain

This thesis explores the experiences of Czech children of prisoners and their primary caregivers and how these experiences can be interpreted using Ambiguous Loss (and Ambiguous Gain) theory (Boss, 2007). The experiences of Czech children of prisoners and their primary caregivers are under-represented in academic literature; there is only one research study on this topic published to date (MUNI, 2024). Similarly, despite the acknowledgement of the relevance of Ambiguous Loss for understanding prisoners’ families’ experiences, little research has been dedicated to this theory specifically. This study addresses both of these gaps in research. It comprised 51 semi-structured interviews with: 30 children (6 living in institutional care settings), 17 primary caregivers (1 carer in a children’s home) and 4 Criminal Justice System professionals working in prison (2 prison psychologists, 1 social worker and 1 special teacher). The study also comprises 6 days (44 hours) intense observation at the Angel Camp, a residential holiday programme for children of prisoners which was organised by the Prison Fellowship Czechia. Through its exploration of Czech children of prisoners and their primary caregivers’ experiences, it uncovers the experiences of prisoners’ families in a post-communist society. It examines how Czech children are informed about parental imprisonment and how they experience parental imprisonment from the perspectives of both children and their caregivers. It then analyses these experiences using the theory of Ambiguous Loss (and uniquely, the yet to be further developed theory of Ambiguous Gain). It identifies five ways (spatial ambiguity; parental ambiguity; systemic ambiguity; temporal ambiguity; financial ambiguity) in which Ambiguous Loss (and Gain) can be experienced by prisoners’ families in Czechia. Drawing on the research findings, the study recommends a nuanced approach to informing children about parental imprisonment that reflects the realities of children with incarcerated parents and their primary caregivers. It advocates for recognition of the feelings and positions of primary caregivers in order to address gender stereotypes prevalent within the Czech society (e.g. the stereotypical assumption that women are caregivers who always have to put the needs of their families first). It further suggests that despite some children dealing well with ambiguity, systemic support is still needed (e.g. training flats for children in institutional care and more frequent and shorter prison visits for younger children). In relation to Ambiguous Loss (and Gain), it is recommended that narrative therapy as suggested by Boss (1999; 2006) is encouraged and offered to families in order to improve communication and deal better with ambiguity resulting from having a family member in prison. Finally, the study argues that it is vital to raise awareness of the experiences of prisoners’ relatives in Czechia in order to destigmatise these experiences.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Cambridge

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Suchomel Duskova, Eliska

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Lanskey, Caroline

• Czech children of prisoners
• primary caregivers
• children of prisoners
• parental imprisonment
• Ambiguous Loss
• Ambiguous Gain

Licence

• https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/4c175ece-29a4-4909-8869-5ad8796028ff/download
• http://purl.org/NET/rdflicense/allrightsreserved

Language dc:language

eng

DOI dc:identifier.doi

https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.122993

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.repository.cam.ac.uk:1810/392222