Adjustment and Achievement Associated With Mobility in Military Families

Forty Army families were investigated regarding their history of geographic mobility, identification with Army life, their personal well-being and children's school achievement and social competence. Frequent relocation was not found to be detrimental to service member or spouse and, in fact, was positively associated with higher child and social competence. Military identification correlated with well-being for service members, but not for spouses. However, it was the degree of spouse military identification that was more strongly related to children's adjustment than that of service members. The role of military living in reducing relocation stresses is discussed and implications are drawn for nonmilitary populations.