Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) show that more than 40 per cent of Australian children moved their place of residence at least once in the Census period from 1996 to 2001 (ABS, 2001a). The literature varies in its assessment of the impact that this has on children. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between residential relocation, resilience and the emotional, behavioural and academic adjustment of children aged 8-12 years who had moved home. Risk factors and the relative impact of resilience were examined. Results highlight the importance of good schooling and suggest that building and enhancing the intellectual functioning of children is a vital component in the development of resilience. Different aspects of resilience may be important for different developmental stages and life stressors. We discuss the distinction between cause and effect when examining resilience factors and suggest that outcomes in one context may be treated as influences on outcomes in another context.
AchenbachT.M. (1991). Manual for the child behavior checklist 4–18 and 1991 profile. Burlington, VT: University of Vermont, Department of Psychiatry.
2.
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2001a). Population census customised table. Client request number CR-20020905-171459-pm. Canberra: Australian Bureau of Statistics.
3.
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2001b). Socio-economic indexes for areas. Australia. Information paper 2039.0—Census of population and housing. Canberra: Australian Bureau of Statistics.
4.
EpsteinM.H. (2004). Behavioral and emotional rating scale: A strength based approach to assessment (2nd edn). Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.
5.
EpsteinM.H.RyserG.PearsonN. (2002). Standardization of the behavioural and emotional rating scale: Factor structure, reliability and criterion validity. Journal of Behavioral Health Services and Research, 29(2), 208–215.
6.
EpsteinM.H.SharmaH.M. (1998). Behavioral and emotional rating scale: A strength based approach to assessment. Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.
7.
FieldsB. (1995). Family mobility. Social and academic effects on young adolescents. Youth Studies Australia, Winter, 27–31.
8.
GilgunJ.F. (1999). Mapping resilience as process among adults with childhood adversities. In McCubbinH.I.ThompsonE.A.ThompsonA.I.FutrellJ.O. (Eds), The Dynamics of Resilient Families. Thousand Oaks, Sage Publications.
9.
HamiltonS. (1986). Supporting service families. A report on the main problems facing spouses of Australian Defence Force personnel and some recommended solutions. Canberra: Office of the Status of Women.
10.
HeinleinL.M.ShinnM. (2000). School mobility and student achievement in an urban setting. Psychology in the Schools, 37(4), 349–357.
11.
HellerS.S.LarrieuJ.A.D'ImperioR.D.BorisN.W. (1996). Resilience to maltreatment. Family Process, 35(3), 325–338.
12.
HowardS.JohnsonB. (2000). What makes the difference? Children and teachers talk about resilient outcomes for children at risk. Educational Studies, 26(3), 321–337.
13.
KaplanH. (1999). Toward and understanding of resilience. A critical review of definitions and models. In GlantzM.D.JohnsonJ.L. (Eds), Resilience and development: Positive life adaptations, 17–79. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.
14.
KellyR. (1988). Some examples of educational disadvantage experienced by children of service families. Unpublished submission to the Australian Education Council.
15.
KennyD. (1991). Is more of the same better? A study of grade repetition. SET, Number 2, Item 11, 15. ACER.
16.
KumpferK.L. (1999). Factors and processes contributing to resilience. In GlantzM.D.JohnsonJ.L. (Eds), Resilience and development: Positive life adaptations, 179–216. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.
17.
LinkeP. (2000). Home is where the family is: Moving house with children. Canberra: AECA.
18.
LongL.H. (1992). International perspectives on the residential mobility of America's children. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 54(4), 861–869.
19.
MarchantK.MedwayF. (1987). Adjustment and achievement associated with mobility in military families. Psychology in the Schools, 24, 289–294.
20.
MastenA.S.CoatsworthJ.D. (1998). The development of competence in favorable and unfavorable environments: Lessons from research on successful children. American Psychologist, 53, 205–220.
21.
MastenA.S.PowellJ.L. (2003). A resilience framework for research, policy and practice. In LutharS.S. (Ed.), Resilience and vulnerability: Adaptation in the context of childhood adversity, 1–25. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
22.
MathewsR. (2005). Of people and places: Deciding where to live. InPsych, (December), 24–29.
23.
NelsonP.S.SimoniJ.M.AdelmanH.S. (1996). Mobility and school functioning in the early grades. Journal of Educational Research, 39(6), 365–369.
24.
ParkerG.R.CowenE.L.WorkW.C.WymanP.A. (1990). Test correlates of stress resilience among urban school children. Journal of Primary Prevention, 11(1), 19–35.
25.
PedersenF.A.SullivanE.J. (1964). Relationships among geographical mobility, parental attitudes and emotional disturbances in children. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 34, 575–580.
26.
PribeshS.DowneyD. (1999). Why are residential and school moves associated with poor school performance. Demography, 36, 521–534.
27.
RutterM. (2000). Resilience reconsidered: Conceptual considerations, empirical findings and policy implications. In ShonkoffJ.P.MeiselsS.R. (Eds), Handbook of early intervention (2nd edn), 651–681. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
28.
ScanlonE.DevineK. (2001). Residential mobility and youth well-being: Research, policy and practice issues. Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, 28(1), 119–138.
29.
ShawJ.A. (1987). Children in the military. Psychiatric Annals, 17(8 August), 539–544.
30.
SimpsonG.A.FowlerM.G. (1994). Geographic mobility and children's emotional/behavioural adjustment and school functioning. American Academy of Pediatrics, 93(2), 303–309.
SleeP. (1995). Sources of stress in Australian families and characteristics of stress resilient children. Children Australia, 20(2), 14–17.
33.
SmithJ.PriorM. (1995). Temperament and stress resilience in school-age children: A within-families study. American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 34(2), 168–179.
34.
StoneW. (1997). Exploring links between schools and families. Family Matters, 46, 32–33.
35.
StrohL.K.BrettJ.M. (1990). Corporate mobility: After the move what do the children think?Children's Environments Quarterly, 7(3), 7–14.
36.
TuckerC.J.MarxJ.LongL. (1998). ‘Moving on’: Residential mobility and children's school lives. Sociology of Education, 71 (1), 111–129.
37.
WalshF. (1996). The concept of family resilience: Crisis and change. Family Process, 35(3), 261–280.
38.
WeberE.G.WeberD.K. (2005). Geographic relocation frequency, resilience and military adolescent behaviour. Military Medicine, 170, 638–642.
39.
WoodD.HalfonN.ScarlataD.NewacheckP.NessimS. (1993). Impact of family relocation on children's growth, development, school function and behaviour. Journal of the American Medical Association, 270(11), 1334–1338.
