Effects of institutionalisation

Question 1

What is institutionalisation?

Answer 1

Children spending a long period of time outside of the family home within an institution

Question 2

What can institutionalisation result in?

Answer 2

A loss of personal identity and child adopting norms and rules of institution which can impair cognitive functioning

Question 3

What are the three effects of institutionalisation?

Answer 3

Reactive attachment disorder
Disinhibited attachment
Cognitive impairment

Question 4

How does a reactive attachment disorder develop?

Answer 4

Extreme lack of sensitive responsiveness from parent in early life

Question 5

What does lack of sensitive responsiveness lead to?

Answer 5

A child growing up unable to love or trust others

Question 6

What is the personality like of someone with a reactive attachment disorder?

Answer 6

Become isolated and very selfish
(almost sociopathic)

Question 7

How do children with a disinhibited attachment select attachment figures?

Answer 7

Indiscriminately

Question 8

How do children with disinhibited attachments act around complete strangers?

Answer 8

Overly friendly and affectionate

Question 9

What causes a disinhibited attachment?

Answer 9

long periods of institutional care in early life, may learn to attach to multiple caregivers

Question 10

What is a further behavioural disorder those with disinhibited attachment can show?

Answer 10

Attention seeking

Question 11

What is cognitive impairment?

Answer 11

A delay in intellectual development

Question 12

What would those with cognitive impairment suffer with?

Answer 12

Low IQ, poor concentration, learning new behaviours and concepts

Question 13

Who did research into Romanian orphans attachment?

Answer 13

Rutter et al

Question 14

What was Rutter’s aim?

Answer 14

To investigate whether loving and nurturing care could overturn the effects of institutionalisation

Question 15

Rutters sample?

Answer 15

111 Romanian orphans who were adopted into British families

Question 16

Rutters study type?

Answer 16

Longitudinal

Question 17

What 3 types of development were assessed in Rutters research?

Answer 17

Physical
Emotional
Cognitive

Question 18

What was the IV in Rutters research?

Answer 18

Age of adoption

Question 19

What was the DV in Rutters research?

Answer 19

Children’s development

Question 20

What were the three groups that Rutter studied?

Answer 20

Adopted before 6 months old
Adopted between 6 months and 2 years
Adopted after the age of 2

Question 21

Who were the orphans compared to?

Answer 21

British adopted children

Question 22

What % of the orphans showed signs of cognitive impairment and were undernourished?

Answer 22

50

Question 23

Who was found to have a higher level of disinhibited attachment?

Answer 23

Those adopted older than two years of age

Question 24

How were the orphans adopted before 6 months doing in comparison to the control group?

Answer 24

just as well

Question 25

What was the IQ of those adopted before the age of 6 months?

Answer 25

Normal

Question 26

What was the IQ of those adopted after the age of two years?

Answer 26

Low

Question 27

Conclusion of Rutters research?

Answer 27

Some negative effects of institutionalisation can be overcome by sensitive care