Moving on: Residential mobility and children's school lives

Parents are often warned of the negative impact of moving on children, but there has been little research on how the influence of moving may vary by family structure. The study presented here used data from the Child Health Supplement to the 1988 National Health Interview Survey to investigate the impact of mobility on the school lives of elementary-aged schoolchildren in families with both biological parents present and those in alternate family structures. The study found that children who have moved an average or above-average number of times are not significantly harmed if they reside in families in which both biological parents are present; however; for children in other family structures, any move is associated with an adverse school life.