Family instability as a unique risk factor for children's adjustment problems.

It is well‐established that children who experience adversity early in life are at high risk for developing a wide array of psychological, social, academic, behavioral, and physical health problems across the lifespan. Most of what we know about how and why adversity is harmful for children is based on research that examines characteristics of the early rearing environment that are directly threatening or harsh. These include experiences like poverty, child maltreatment, and violence in the home or neighborhood. However, early family environments that are "adverse" may also be those that are unstable or unpredictable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]