Multiple house moves during childhood can increase the risk of depression in later life, study finds

Moving home a lot as a child can increase your likelihood of being diagnosed with depression in later life, a new study has found.

Academics analysed the addresses of almost 1.1m people who grew up in Denmark between 1981 and 2001, and tracked which ones were diagnosed with depression as adults.

They found that someone was 61 per cent more likely to develop depression if they had moved home twice or more between the ages of 10 and 15. Children who moved once at this age were 41 per cent more likely to be diagnosed than those who stayed put.

People who had moved around during childhood were still more likely to develop depression even if they had been living in a well-off neighbourhood, researchers found.

The study authors, from Aarhus University, the University of Plymouth and the University of Manchester, hypothesised that “it is not the move, per se, but rather the change of neighbourhood that is disruptive”.

They wrote: “A fixed place of residence during childhood could be an indicator of a stable family or that individuals and families have stronger roots in their neighbourhoods. These are the aspects of social support systems (such as trust and exchange of favours from neighbours, schools, and social, sporting, and religious organisations) that create a feeling of belonging and being connected, collectively known as social capital.”

The research, which has been published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, also found people who grew up in deprived neighbourhoods were 10 per cent more likely to be diagnosed with depression.

Professor Clive Sabel, at the University of Plymouth, said: “We know there are a number of factors which lead to a person being diagnosed with a mental illness.

“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.”

Professor Sabel added certain groups of young people could be particularly at risk, such as children in care who often face multiple moves and military children who move to where their parents are stationed.