Attachment – Institutionalization

Question 1

Orphan studies

Answer 1

Examine the effects of early separation from parents and institutional care on children’s emotional, social and cognitive development

Question 2

Institutionalisation

Answer 2

The condition of being raised or living in large, impersonal institutions, such as orphanages prisons or psychiatric hospitals were consistent, personal care is lacking

Question 3

Nicolae Ceausescu’s impact on Romanian child rearing

Answer 3

Band abortions and contraception
Forced women to have large families
↓
This caused a crisis in orphanage systems (due to population increase)
→ children were malnourished, neglected, abused - this cause developmental delays common attachment disorders, emotional/social difficulties

Question 4

Rutter et al (2011) procedure

Answer 4

Studied 165 Roman orphanages for years as a part of the English and Romanian adoptee (ERA) study – longitudinal
The aim: to investigate the extent to which good camp could make up for poor early experiences
Physical, emotional and cognitive development has been assessed at 4, 6, 11, 16 and 22-26 years old
A group of 52 children from the UK were adopted at the same time -control group

Question 5

Rutter et al (2011) findings

Answer 5

When they first arrived they were delayed an intellectual development and severely undenourished
At 11 they showed different rates of recovery that related to their age of adoption
The mean IQ:
- adopted before 6 mths old = 102
- adopted between 6 mths and 2 years = 86
- adopted after 2 years = 77
Children who spent extended periods in institutionalized care showed quasi autism (autistic like behaviors) such as:
- social withdrawal
- difficulty forming attachments
Children adopted after 6 mths showed signs of disinhibited / disorganized attachment style
- attention seeking
- clinginess
- social behaviour
- acted indiscriminately to all adults
Children who spent over six months in institutional care showed delays in physical development E.G. growth retardation, lower weight, height and delayed motor milestones

Question 6

Zeanah et al (2005) procedure

Question 7

Rutter et al (2011) conclusion

Answer 7

Cognitive effects -differences in IQ
Emotional effects- attachment issues if adopted after 6 mths
Physical effects – growth deficits

Question 8

Zeanah et al (2005) procedure

Answer 8

Studied 136 Romanian children aged 3-31 mths we had spent the majority of their life in institutional care
They were assessed on cognitive, language, social, psychiatric and brain functioning indicators via:
- psychological tests
- interactional assessments (attachment)
- physical measurements
- brain electrical activity
The children were then randomly assigned to a condition:
68 went on to continue institutional care
68 went to foster family homes.
→ they were compared to 72 children who had never lived in an institution (control group)
An attachment assessment was done on the children
Caregivers provided research with details on behavior, focusing on disinhibited / this organised attachment behaviors
- indiscriminate friendliness
- clinginess
- attention seeking

Question 9

Zeanah et al (2005) findings

Answer 9

In control group: 74% securely attached, 20% disinhibited attachment
In institutionalized children: 19% securely attached, 44% disinhibited attachment
Children in foster care before 6 mths attached better
Children in Romanian orphanages had delayed language development – foster care improved these delays

Question 10

Zeanah et al (2005) conclusion

Answer 10

Attachment effects: institutionalized kids were significantly less likely to form security attachments. Disinhibited attachment was much more common
Timing of adoption: kids adopted before six months had better attachment outcomes
→ suggest there is a sensitive period
Language development: institutionalization causes delayed language skills but early intervention can improve this

Question 11

Key common effects of institutionalization

Answer 11

Low IQ
Delayed language development
Disinhibited attachment
Delayed physical development
Quasi autism

Question 12

Zeanah vs Rutter

Answer 12

Zeanah used random allocation but Rutter did not.
→ this means rutter’s study is less reliable as it could be biased and not replicable and it cannot be replicated

Question 13

Zeanah evaluation

Answer 13

Internal validity- random allocation
Control of confounding variables- randomisation
Causal inferences- easier to draw causal conclusions

Question 14

Rutter evaluation

Answer 14

Lacks internal validity – no random allocation
Confounding variables – risk of influence
No causal inferences

Question 15

Strengths of institutionalization

Answer 15

Chugani et al (2001) found neuro cognitive impairments in Romanian orphans ( decreased brain activity due to deprivation)
Theoretical consistency – rutters research aligns with bowlby’s attachment theory- concurrent validity
Ecological validity as studies are based on real world settings
Long-term insights dash studies like Rutter and Zeanah are longitudinal
Improvements in institutional care- Langton (2006) found that improvements in caregiver ratios and stimulation reduces the negative effects of deprivation/institutionalization

Question 16

Weaknesses of institutionalization

Answer 16

Findings reflect poor institutional care rather than the care itself
Low population validity – only studies in Romania
Long-term effects in later adulthood our unclear
Confounding variables E.G. lack of randomisation in rotter causes validity