Romanian orphan study

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

What extent does good care make up poor experiences

Question 2

Procedure

Answer 2

Orphans spent early childhood in Romanian institutions
Adopted in Britain
Assessed psychological, emotional and cognitive development
(4,6,11,15)
52 British adoptees - control group

Question 3

Findings

Answer 3

Romanian adoptees, lagged behind British adoptees
Showed signs of mental retardation
By age 4 - Adopted before 6 months old, caught up
However if adopted after 6 months, struggled more
Problems with peer relationships
Showed disinhibited attachment

Question 4

Disinhibited attachment

Answer 4

Form of insecure attachment
Children equally friendly/affectionate towards strangers + people they know
In institution, child had over 50 carers, haven’t seen enough to make secure attachment

Question 5

Romanian Study x2

Answer 5

136 children, spent 90% childhood in orphanage
Control group - never been in institution
12-31 months - assessed using strange situations

Question 6

Romanian study x2 findings

Answer 6

Institutionalised groups:
19% secure
Control groups:
74% secure

Question 7

Effects of institutionalisation

Answer 7

Physical underdevelopment:
Physically smaller - deprivation dwarfism

Intellectual under functioning:
Cognitive development affected by emotional deprivation

Disinhibited attachment:
Equally friendly-affectionate with strangers + know well
Inappropriate friendliness + attention seeking

Poor parenting:
Found it difficult in 20s acting like a parent compared to women

Question 8

AO3:

Answer 8

Individual differences of children may play an important role
Not true for all children that unable to form primary attachment within critical period
Not all children as effected as others
e.g may receive special attention
NOT universal

Real-life applications
Improves lives of children in care
Early adoption, within week of birth