The effects of involuntary residential relocation: A review

Abstract

Research on the effects of involuntary residential relocation on the personal adjustment of individuals is examined. These relocations include institutional transfers, job transfers, and urban renewal projects. The research indicates that although such relocations frequently result in physical and emotional stress reactions, these effects are stronger for some groups and occur only under certain circumstances. The variability in personal reactions to relocation is explained in terms of three types of approaches: the first emphasizes stable individual characteristics; the second, cognitive mediators; and the third, environmental characteristics. The major implication of this review is that relocation be examined from an ecological perspective, which takes into account both the subjective and objective features of the old and new environments.