Romanian Orphan Studies

Question 1

What are the effects of institutionalisation?

Answer 1

Low IQ, disinhibited attachment, difficulty forming relationships and below average physical development

Question 2

What is disinhibited attachment?

Answer 2

Children treat strangers with inappropriate familiarity and may be attention seeking

Question 3

What was Rutter’s ERA study procedure?

Answer 3

165 Romanian orphans were adopted in England with 111 adopted before the age of 2 and 54 adopted by the age of 4. The children were compared to 52 British children adopted by 6 months and their physical, social and cognitive development was tested frequently

Question 4

What were Rutter’s findings?

Answer 4

At the time of adoption, the Romanian orphans were significantly behind the British counterparts but most caught up by 4 . Children adopted after 6 months showed disinhibited attachment and has difficulties with peer relationships

Question 5

What were Rutter’s conclusions?

Answer 5

It children have the opportunity to form attachment early, long term consequences are less severe compared to those who did not.

Question 6

What was the procedure of the Bucharest Early Intervention Project?

Answer 6

It was a longitudinal study of the social development of orphans fostered in Romania

Question 7

What were the findings of the BEI project?

Answer 7

Much more insecure and disinhibited attachment was present in children who remained in institutions

Question 8

Strengths of the Romanian Orphan Studies

Answer 8

• real life applications (key worker in care systems)
• few confounding variables (possible to isolate the effects of institutionalisation compared to war-orphan studies)

Question 9

Limitations of Romanian Orphan Studies

Answer 9

• lack of adult data (lack of data about long-term effects)
• socially sensitive (self-fulfilling prophecy)