Lesson 8 - Institutional Care

Question 1

Institutional Care

Answer 1

When a child’s living arrangements are outside of family
Could be raised in institutions
Children raised in institutions can adopt rules and norms of the institution which could impair functioning and lead to a loss of personal identity - Deindividuation

Question 2

Rutter et al. (2010) Romanian Orphans Procedure

Answer 2

Involves 165 Romanian children who spent their early lives in Romanian orphanages, before being adopted, thus suffered effects of institutionalisation
Adoptees were tested at regular intervals (ages 4, 6, 11 and 15) to assess physical, cognitive and social development
Progress was compared to a control group of 52 British children adopted in the UK before the age of 6 months

Question 3

Rutter et al. (2010) Romanian Orphans Findings

Answer 3

At time of adoption, Romanian orphans lagged behind British counterparts on all measures of physical, cognitive and social development
By age of 4, the Romanian children adopted before the age of 6 months had caught up with their British counterparts
However, a significant number of individuals adopted after the age of 6 months still had significant deficits at age 4

Question 4

Rutter et al. (2010) Romanian Orphans Conclusions

Answer 4

Study suggests that long-term consequences of institutionalisation may be less servere than was once though if children are adopted before 6 months and receive sensitive parenting
However, if children are not adopted by 6 months then consequences of institutionalisation are likely to be severe

Question 5

Effects of Institutionalisation

Answer 5

Delayed Intellectual Development
Disinhibited Attachment
Emotional Development
Lack of Internal Working Model
Quasi-Autism
Delayed Physical Development

Question 6

Effects of Institutionalisation

Delayed Intellectual Development

Answer 6

Children raised in institutions can have a low IQ and concentration problems
Means they struggle at school because they cannot learn new behaviours and concepts as quickly
Also have delayed language development

Question 7

Effects of Institutionalisation

Disinhibited Attachment

Answer 7

Children raised in institutions may not know what appropriate behaviour towards strangers is
Can be overly affectionate and attention-seeking

Question 8

Effects of Institutionalisation

Emotional Development

Answer 8

Children raised in institutions may have difficulty interacting with peers and forming close relationships
As adults they will have impaired adult relationships and can struggle to parents their own children

Question 9

Effects of Institutionalisation

Quasi-Autism

Answer 9

Children raised in institutions may develop quasi-autism as they struggle to understand the meaning of social contexts and can have obsessional behaviours
Have lower frequency of pretend play and reduced empathy

Question 10

Effects of Institutionalisation

Delayed Physical Development

Answer 10

Children in institutional care are usually physically small
Research shows lack of emotional care rather than poor nourishment is the cause of what has been called deprivation dwarfism

Question 11

Effects of Institutionalisation Evaluation Points

Answer 11

Enhanced Understanding
Changes in Adoption Process
Generalisation
Le Mare and Audet (2006)
Validity

Question 12

Effects of Institutionalisation Evaluation
Enhanced Understanding
Positive

Answer 12

Studies investigating effects of institutionalisation have enhanced the understanding of the potential negative consequences of institutional care and has led to the establishment of key workers in institutions to provide emotional care for children

Question 13

Effects of Institutionalisation Evaluation
Changes in Adoption Process
Positive

Answer 13

Studies investigating effects of institutionalisation led to changes in the adoption process
In the past, mothers were encouraged to nurse their children for as long as possible before giving them up for adoption
Today, most babies are adopted within their first week of life (certainly before six months)

Question 14

Effects of Institutionalisation Evaluation
Generalisation
Negative

Answer 14

Standards of care were particularly poor in Romanian orphanages
Romanian orphans were faced with much more than emotional deprivation
Physical conditions were appalling and there was a lack of cognitive stimulation
Likely that long term damage from institutional care only occurs when there are multiple risk factors

Question 15

Effects of Institutionalisation Evaluation
Le Mare and Audet (2006)
Negative

Answer 15

Possible that negative effects of institutional care can be reduced by sensitive parenting
Le Mare and Audet conducted a longitudinal study of 36 Romanian orphans adopted to families in Canada
Adopted orphans were physically smaller than a matched control group at age four but this difference had disappeared by ten
Same was true for psychological health

Question 16

Effects of Institutionalisation Evaluation
Validity
Negative

Answer 16

Adoption and control groups were not randomly allocated to conditions in studies of Romanian orphans
Means participants variables between children could influence findings in unanticipated ways
Adoptions children may have been adopted due to personal characteristics such as resilience or being more sociable
These characteristics might explain why they were less affected by institutional care, lowering validity of the research