romanian orphans

Question 1

what was the aim

Answer 1

to examine the long term effects of institutionalisation in a longitudinal study beginning in the early 1990s called the ERA (english and romanian adoptees)

Question 2

procedure:

Answer 2

1. 165 children who spend their early years in a romanian orphanage formed the experimental group. 111 adopted before the age of 2, remaining 54 adopted by age of four.
2. compared to a control group of 52 british kids adopted before they were 6 months old.
   3.the social, cognitive and physical development was examined at regular intervals of ages 4,6,11 and 15. interviews were conducted with adoptive parents and teachers

Question 3

findings of romanian orphans: right before adoption

Answer 3

the romanian orphans at the point of adoption showed delayed development at all points of progress. they were physically smaller, weighed less on average and many were classified as having delayed intellectual development

Question 4

findings: differences in ages at adoption of romanian orphans

Answer 4

almost all romanian orphans who were adopted before the age of 6 months caught up with the british control group. those who were adopted after six months continued to show significant deficits in development, they were more likely to experience difficulties with making or maintaining peer relationships and were often categorised as having disinhibited attachment disorder

Question 5

what is disinhibited attachment disorder

Answer 5

attention seeking, clinginess social behaviour directed indiscriminately towards all adults

Question 6

what was concluded

Answer 6

institutionalisation can have severe long term impacts on development especially if children are not provided with adequate emotional caregiving