romanian orphan studies

Question 1

what was romanian orphan study about and aim?

Answer 1

studies effects of institutionalisation and deprivation on child development.
aimed to assess whether good care could make up for early privation

Question 2

what does rutter’s study suggest about institutional care?

Answer 2

Long-term effects of institutionalisation depend on the age of adoption, with earlier adoption leading to better recovery. Children adopted before 6 months typically show more normal development, while those adopted later may experience more difficulties in attachment and emotional regulation.

Question 3

what are the effects of institutionalisation?

Answer 3

disinhibited attachment
low IQ
poor physical development
emotional / social difficulty

Question 4

what was found about IQ in the orphans (Rutter)?

Answer 4

adopted before 6 months: IQ = 102
adopted after 2 years: IQ = 77

Question 5

strength- high internal validity

Answer 5

Romanian orphans experienced clear early deprivation, with no confounding factors like previous trauma or neglect - increases the validity of the research by ensuring the effects observed are solely due to institutionalisation. It isolates the variable of institutional care = helps in drawing more accurate conclusions about the long-term effects of early neglect.

Question 6

weakness- lack of full conclusions

Answer 6

studies only followed orphans into adolescence- effects on adult relationships and mental health remain unknown. late adopted children may catch up later in life= low validity

Question 7

strength- what real world application did orphan studies have?

Answer 7

Findings from attachment research have improved orphanage care by leading to the introduction of key workers for each child, helping to form stable attachments. It has also encouraged early adoption to ensure children form secure attachments during the critical early years of development, which is vital for healthy emotional and social outcomes later in life

Question 8

weakness- individual differences

Answer 8

Some children recovered well despite being adopted later, which could be due to genetic or personality factors that made them more resilient. This suggests that the impact of institutionalisation is not universal and varies between individuals, challenging the deterministic view that early deprivation always leads to long-term negative outcomes.

Question 9

how many orphans were studied in the ERA study?

Answer 9

165

Question 10

what were the findings on the impact of institutionalisation on attachment?

Answer 10

before 6 months= normal development

6 months - 2 years+ = disinhibited attachment and low IQ