Bowlbys Theory Of Maternal Deprivation AO3

Question 1

✅ How did Bowlby’s maternal deprivation theory influence hospital practices?

Answer 1

Bowlby’s theory led to significant changes in hospital care for children. Hospitals now encourage the presence of at least one caregiver during a child’s stay and offer more flexible visiting hours for other family members. This minimizes the risk of deprivation and its associated negative outcomes

Question 2

❌ What did Furstenberg and Kiernan (2001) find about the effects of divorce on children?

Answer 2

Furstenberg and Kiernan (2001) found that children experiencing divorce scored lower than those from intact families in several areas, including social development, emotional well-being, self-concept, educational achievement, and physical health. This suggests that divorce, which may cause maternal deprivation, has widespread negative emotional and developmental effects on children.

Question 3

❌ Why is the evidence supporting Bowlby’s maternal deprivation theory considered limited?

Answer 3

Much of the evidence is correlational, meaning it does not establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship between separation and negative developmental outcomes. For instance, Kagan et al. (1978) found no direct causal link between separation and later emotional and behavioral difficulties, suggesting that other factors may explain the outcomes.

Question 4

❌ How do individual differences affect children’s response to separation?

Answer 4

Barrett (1997) found that children who were more mature in managing their emotions coped better with separation. This means that the impact of separation varies between children, and not all experience distress, challenging the idea that maternal deprivation inevitably leads to negative outcomes.