Household Challenges and Youth Flourishing: Mediating Effects of Parental Aggravation and Physical Health

Flourishing represents the ultimate status of well-being, characterized by mental health that extends beyond the absence of illness. Limited studies have explored the connections between household challenges (HC) and the flourishing of youths of color and the mechanisms underlying this relationship. Utilizing structural equation modeling (SEM), we investigated the mediating effects of parental aggravation and physical health within this relationship. Our analysis of the data from 3,982 youths of color aged 12 to 17 from the 2020 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) revealed that HC were negatively associated with flourishing both directly and indirectly through parental aggravation and health status. These findings underscore the critical role of parental support and the need for systemic initiatives aimed at alleviating chronic HC.