Moving requires tremendous work and people would have to adjust emotionally, physically, and mentally as it includes meeting new people and adapting to a new environment and a new study claims that moving as a child could actually have negative effects when one reaches adulthood.
The research was published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine and British researchers Roger Webb and his colleagues have given data about their findings. The sample population includes every person in Denmark born from 1971 to 1997, The Washington Post reported.
It has been found out that when kids have been moved far enough to change schools, make new friends, and adjust to a completely new lifestyle, they have been found out to be inclined towards psychiatric disorders, criminality, drug abuse, suicide rates, and unnatural mortality when they reach adulthood.
The study also added that children moving multiple times in just one year make the aforementioned long-term effects even more likely to be experienced by them. However, not all age groups are most likely to feel the negative effects. The study pointed out that the children aged 12 to 14, who are in their early adolescence, will most likely be engaged in violent crimes, drug abuse, and others.
Webb wrote, "Relocated adolescents often face a double stress of adapting to an alien environment, a new school, and building new friendships and social networks, while simultaneously coping with the fundamental biological and developmental transitions that their peers also experience."
It has not been detailed in the study what the reason is behind the moves but they did say that it is linked to the parents' socioeconomic status. It has been concluded that moves done for a new job or to change one's home to a better one could have positive effects on children's lives if done at an earlier age. However, they have found out that rich kids experience the same risks as much as the less fortunate children.
Another study published in the past also claimed that moving could have positive effects such as moving from a bad neighborhood to a good neighborhood.
What do you think about this study on mobility? Sound off below!
