Bowlby's theory of maternal deprivation

Question 1

Outline

Answer 1

• Proposed that a “warm, intimate and continuous relationship with a mother (figure)” is necessary for healthy psychological and emotional development. “Mother love in infancy/ childhood is as important for mental health as are vitamins and proteins for physical health”.

Question 2

Consequences of maternal deprivation

Answer 2

1. An inability to form attachments in the future (IWM).
2. Affectionless psychopathy (inability to feel emotions/ remorse).
3. Delinquency (behavioural problems in adolescence).
4. Problems with cognitive development.

Question 3

Bowlby’s 44 Juvenile Thieves Study (1944)

Answer 3

• 44 thieves were compared with 44 non-thieves from a delinquency centre. Bowlby collected data via interviews and questionnaires from the 88 juveniles and found that 17/44 thieves had experienced early, prolonged separation from their mothers before 5 years.

Question 4

44 thieves study findings (1)

Answer 4

15/17 of these thieves were classed as affectionless psychopaths (no guilt/remorse), while only 2/44 non-thieves had experienced such separation. Therefore these findings support the MDH, as there appears to be a link between disruption to attachments in the first 5 years and later maladjustment.

Question 5

44 thieves study findings (2)

Answer 5

Bowlby’s subsequent research reported that 60 children who had spent time apart from their mothers due to tuberculous prior to the age of 4, demonstrated lower achievement in school.

Question 6

44 thieves study findings (3)

Answer 6

Bowlby’s findings indicate that experiencing disrupted attachments in early life is linked to crime, emotional maladjustment and low academic achievement, lending strong support for the MDH.

Question 7

Evaluation (+)

Answer 7

1. Practical applications= highlight the importance of positive attachment experiences and maintaining a monotropic bond in the first 5 years, which have been instrumental in the developments of good childcare practices (greater stability in childcare practices).

• More financial support to young families in terms of maternity and paternity leave (Sweden offers 480 days parental leave highlighting its commitment to support children’s early attachment experiences).

Question 8

Evaluation (-) Pt. 1

Answer 8

1. Retrospective recall might be inaccurate= adolescent participants responses might be subject to inaccuracies/ distortions.
2. Investigator effects= Bowlby designed and conducted the self-reports- his presence and interpretation might have influenced the outcome of his research (distorted by a researcher confirmation bias).

Question 9

Evaluation (-) Pt. 2

Answer 9

3. Conclusions are correlational= we cannot definitively conclude that the separation was the cause- may have been a third unidentified variable that accounted for symptoms.
4. Oversimplified concept= Rutter critiqued Bowlby’s concept, and argued that he failed to distinguish between separation from an attachment figure, loss of an attachment figure and a complete lack of attachment (privation)- they have different long-term effects.