Romanian orphans

Question 1

rutters aim

Answer 1

to assess whether loving/ nurturing care could overturn the effects of institutionalisation

Question 2

rutters procedure

Answer 2

• longitudinal study and natural experiment
  -165 romanian infants adopted in Britain
• physical, cognitive and emotional development assessed between 4-15 years,
• compared to 52 british adopted children as a control group

Question 3

rutters findings

Answer 3

half of romanian orphans had an intellectual disability at first
mean IQ adopted before 6 months = 102
mean IQ adopted 6-25 months = 86
mean IQ adopted after 2 yrs old. = 77

Question 4

rutters 3 conditions

Answer 4

1 = children adopted before age of 6 months
2= adopted between 6 months and 2 years
3 = children adopted after 2 years

Question 5

effects on attachment

Answer 5

• adopted after 6 months = disinhibition attachment - attention seeking and clingy
• adopted before 6 months = no disinhibited attahcment

meaning the longer children are in institutions the more damage is caused to their development

Question 6

zeanah et al

Answer 6

Bucharest early intervention study

Question 7

zeanah aim

Answer 7

to assess whether insitutionalisation affects attachment type

Question 8

zeanah procedure

Answer 8

used strange situation to measure attachment type in 95 romanian children aged 12-31 months who sent most of their lives in institutional care

longitudinal study, natural experiment

compared 50 children who weren’t in care as a control group

Question 9

zeanah findings

Answer 9

74% of control group was securely attached
19% of experimental group securely attached

less than 20% of control group showed disinhibited attachment
44% of institutionalised children did

Question 10

zeanah conclusion

Answer 10

children who spend time in institutions have higher rates of insecure attachment types,

and more frequently show disinhibited attachment style

Question 11

describe what research with romanian orphans has shown about the effects of institutionalisation

Answer 11

• rutters era study
• impaired language and social skills,
• disinhibited attachment for those adopted after 6 months
• e.g attention seeking, clinginess
• mean IQ adopted before 6 months = 102
• mean IQ adopted between 6-25 months= 86
• mean IQ adopted after 2 years = 77

Bucharest early intervention project

children who spend more time in institutions have higher rates of insecure attachment compared to children who didnt

Question 12

strength , real world

Answer 12

p- real world impact
e- studies e.g gutters = improvement in childcare practices esp orphanages
e- e.g modern insitutions , children given key workers , to ensure they get one consistent attachnemt= avoids dishibition attachment
e- shows research = useful and ethical , improve live of vulnerable children

Question 13

limitation , culture

Answer 13

p- results may be situation specific
e- romanian orphanges = extremely deprived, minimal social interactions , no toys ,
e- level of neglect not typical
l- findings not apply to children in better quality institutions

Question 14

limitation , cofounding variables

Answer 14

p- cofounding variables
e- some children experienced abuse , malnutrition etc before going into institution
e- difficult to know if outcomes r due to institutionalisation or prior experiences
l- may be overestimating impact of institutionalised care itself