Romanian Orphanage Studies (Attachment)

Question 1

Why study institutions such as orphanages?

Answer 1

Institutions are unable to provide the same level of physical and emotional care

Institutionalisation is thought to influence childhood development

Question 2

2 effects of Institutionalisation

Answer 2

Deprivation - not receiving suitable care due to absence of the PCG

Privation - total lack of care and no ability to form bond

Question 3

Rutters study

Answer 3

Longitudinal study of 165 Romanian orphans who lacked physical and emotional care

They were adopted into British families at either younger than 6 months, 6 months to 2 yrs or older and assessed at age 6 and 11

Question 4

Rutter Findings

Answer 4

Age 6 - overly friendly to strangers (disinhibited attachment)

Age 11 - Showed delayed physical, emotional and intellectual development

Those adopted after 2 yrs had an average IQ of 77

Intellectual development can recover if the infant is adopted before the age of 6 months

Question 5

Positive Evaluations of Orphanage Studies

Answer 5

Hodges and Tizard found children adopted into caring families coped better than children returned to abusive families

Studies has changed policies around adoption and care into orphanages.

Question 6

Negative Evaluation of Orphanage Studies

Answer 6

Children weren’t randomly assigned creating a bias in which more sociable children were picked for adoption