Protective Factors to Promote Health and Flourishing in Black Youth Exposed to Parental Incarceration.

BACKGROUND

Mass incarceration of Black fathers and mothers in the United States has had an undeniably negative effect on the health and well-being of their children, families, and communities. Nearly 1 in every 9 Black youth in the United States has had an incarcerated parent compared to 1 in every 17 White youth. To mitigate the consequences of such historical and structural racism, family and community protective factors that promote health and flourishing in Black youth need exploration.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to understand the associations of protective family, school, and neighborhood factors of overall health and flourishing in Black youth ever exposed to parental incarceration.

METHODS

Using the 2016-2019 National Survey of Children's Health, secondary data analyses were conducted of Black youth ages 6-17 years exposed to parental incarceration (n = 839). Multivariable logistic regression models predicted the associations among protective family and community factors and two child outcomes of interest: overall good health status and flourishing. Overall good health status was measured dichotomously comparing children in "good, very good, or excellent" health to children in "fair or poor" health. Flourishing was measured as a count score using three survey questions designed to assess the child's curiosity and discovery about learning, resilience, and self-regulation. Protective factors of interest included family resilience and connectedness, neighborhood support and safety, and school safety. Other child and caregiver demographics and health characteristics were also included as covariates.

RESULTS

Across all models, higher levels of family connectedness were associated with greater odds of having overall good health and flourishing in Black youth exposed to parental incarceration after adjusting for covariates and neighborhood and school protective characteristics. No significant associations were found between neighborhood or school protective factors and either outcome.

DISCUSSION

To achieve health equity and maximize opportunities for all youth, we must remove the obstacles and consequences of mass incarceration. Improving the health and flourishing of Black youth who have had incarcerated parents requires greater investment in structural supports to bolster family connectedness and better evidence on how to support families affected by mass incarceration and structural racism.