Romanian orphans (booklet 5)

Question 1

Institutionalisation

Answer 1

Refers to effects of being cared for within an institution eg orphanage or children’s home
Effects include physical, cognitive, social and emotional underdevelopment
In institutions children may lack the one to one attachment seen in a family
Therefore little emotional care is provided

Question 2

Romanian orphans

Answer 2

Government in Romania tried to boost population - abortion became illegal
Families of babies unable to afford a child put them in orphanages
Regime collapsed and western world became aware of problem
Many orphans, malnourished and uncared from, were adopted by western families

Question 3

Rutter er all (1998)

Answer 3

Examined development of Romanian orphans, some who were adopted before 6 months old, others after
Physical, cognitive and emotional development periodically assessed
Found Romanian orphans were small/underweight, showed cognitive deficits eg low IQ (which remained at age 16), those adopted after 6 months showed disinhibited attachment (attaching to any adult rather than one PAF)

Question 4

Rutter et al conclusion

Answer 4

Effects of institutionalisation and privation could be overcome if attachment formed in first 6 months
After 6 months negative effects tend to be more permanent
Separation from mother alone not enough to form negative outcomes as British children weren’t developmentally delayed

Question 5

Zeanah et al (2005)

Answer 5

Attachment of children who spent 90% of their life in institutions compared to control group of children in ‘normal families’ measured using strange situation
74% control group securely attached compared to 19% of institutionalised group
44% of institutionalised group showed disinhibited attachment

Question 6

Le Mare + Audet (2006)

Answer 6

Longitudinal study of 36 Romanian orphans adopted in Canada compared to control group
At age 4.5 Romanian children physically smaller
Difference disappeared at age 10
Concluded recovery from effects of institutionalisation on physical development can be successful

Question 7

Kreppner et al (1999)

Answer 7

Found negative traits et lack of empathy + pretend play in Romanian orphans adopted in UK
Attributed to early privation as appeared to be no cognitive or verbal ability defecits

Question 8

Effects of institutionalisation

Answer 8

Disinhibited attachment - being equally friendly/affectionate towards familiar people and strangers (highly unusual as most infants show stranger anxiety)
Intellectual disability - most children showed intellectual disability in Rutter’s study however most adopted before 6 months caught up with control group

Question 9

Evaluate Romanian orphan studies - real life application

Answer 9

Application to improve conditions in group homes
Can prevent the worst of the effects
Eg avoiding having large numbers of caregivers for each child by assigning key workers
Also considerable effort is made to put children in foster care or adoption rather than institutions
Have a chance to develop normal attachments / avoid disinhibited attachment

Question 10

Evaluate Romanian orphan studies - lack of confounding variables

Answer 10

Lack of confounding variables
Many orphan studies before
However most had varying degrees of trauma eg orphans studied during WW2
Children from Romanian orphanages had been handed over by loving parents
Results less likely to be confounded by other negative experiences so higher internal validity

Question 11

Evaluate Romanian orphan studies - lack of adult data

Answer 11

Limited by current lack of data on adult development
Lates data from era study looked at early to mid 20’s
Don’t have data on long term effects
Eg lifetime preference of mental health problems, success forming / maintaining adult romantic and parentsl relationships
Don’t fully know long term effects, possible late adopted children catch up