Moving house might be financially savvy, but experts have warned the upheaval can have a negative impact on children’s mental health.
Youngsters who moved just once between the ages of 10 and 15 were found to be 41 per cent more likely to suffer depression later in life, new research reveals.
And those who moved twice or more had a 61 per cent increased risk of the condition.
Researchers in the UK and Denmark say it highlights the importance of a settled childhood — and believe their findings could be ‘the tip of the iceberg’.
Professor Clive Sabel, of the University of Plymouth, said: ‘We know there are a number of factors which lead to a person being diagnosed with a mental illness.
Children who moved frequently during childhood are more likely to suffer mental health problems later in life, the study found
People who moved a lot during childhood were also more prone to suicide attempts, violent criminality and substance misuse
‘However, this is the first evidence to suggest that moving to a new neighbourhood during childhood is among them, and we believe the numbers we are seeing could be the tip of the iceberg.
‘During those formative years, children are building their social networks through school, sports groups or other activities.
‘Each time they have to adapt to something new it can be disruptive, so we potentially need to find new ways to help people overcome those challenges.’
The study, published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, looked at almost 1.1 million people born in Denmark between 1981 and 2001.
It tracked the number of times they moved house in their first 15 years and found at least 35,000 were later diagnosed with depression.
Previous studies have found people who grow up in deprived neighbourhoods are 10 per cent more likely to develop depression in adulthood.
But this research concluded that any experience of moving during childhood, in deprived areas or not, had a much bigger effect on the risk of depression.
People who moved frequently during childhood were also more prone to suicide attempts, violent criminality and substance misuse.
While the researchers studied the Danish population, they believe the outcome would be similar in other parts of the western world.
Professor Sabel said: ‘This study emphasises the importance of global policies which enable and support settled childhoods, but ones that take into account regional and cultural identities.
‘However, based on our findings, we also believe particular groups of young people may be at heightened risk.
‘Young people in care often face multiple moves and are potentially being placed under additional pressures.
‘Then there are military children, who move regularly depending on where their parents are stationed.
‘This study would suggest they, and other such children, may need additional assistance to prevent the development of mental illness in later life.’
Up to 13 per cent of the world’s population are believed to be living with some form of mental health condition, with the global economic burden predicted to it £4.5 trillion by 2030.
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