Family moves take their toll on children. (the Journal of the American Medical Association, September 15, 1993)

The United States is a very mobile society. Approximately 19% of Americans move every year. Sometimes these moves are needed for family adjustments, such as needing a new house because of a new baby or older children moving out. Sometimes they are a response to changes in employment and positive advancement. But often these moves are a response to unfavorable environmental and social situations such as divorce, eviction from the home, or parental job loss. Under these circumstances, a family move can present a very stressful situation for the children in the family, especially when it occurs in families that have limited access to resources that might be helpful in coping with such stress. It's just this type of situation that occurs more in poor families and, unfortunately, families that are poor move 50% to 100% more frequently than families that are not poor.

A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association addressed the issue of just what effect family relocations have on the children in these families. Specifically, they wanted to know the impact of family relocation on delays in growth or development, learning disabilities, school failure, and hehavioral problems.

Their results showed that frequent family relocations (approximately five or six moves during childhood) was not associated with learning disorders or delays in growth or development, but was significantly associated with an increased risk of failing a grade and with multiple, frequently occurring behavioral problems.

In their discussion of their findings, the researchers state, "A family move disrupts the routines, relationships, and attachments that define the child's world. Almost everything outside the family that is familiar is lost and changes. Even a short move, which may allow the parents to maintain their network of supports and relationships, may force the child to change schools and friends. Thus, the child has to develop new friendships and adjust to a new curriculum and new ...