Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Susan Marcus

Abstract

Former offenders confront a myriad of obstacles that often lead to re-offending and return to prison. Re-offending also creates financial and social burdens for taxpayers. There is some evidence that the consequences of incarceration for offenders can be buffered through resilience. Factors that promote resilience can be personal (internal) and environmental (external), and may directly or indirectly affect offenders’ adaptation, well-being, and development as they transition out of prison. The purpose of the study was to explore the narratives of resilience in adult males who have transitioned from halfway houses to mainstream society. Richardson’s metatheory of resilience and resiliency was used to guide the development of interview questions and analysis plan to explore offenders’ resilience during their journey from incarceration to the community. A purposeful homogenous sample of six participants was recruited and interviewed. A thematic narrative analysis was used to examine shared and unique experiences of resilience in the stories they told. Three themes of resilience emerged: coping, cognitive reframe, and support. The participants described how these themes contributed to the development of internal and external resilience necessary for successfully transitioning to life outside of prison. This research contributes to positive social change by advancing knowledge and practical applications in working with former offenders who are returning to society, and future studies are encouraged to use a more diverse sample and consider prospective methods to study the emergence of resilience over time.

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