The effects of institutionalisation

Question 1

State the meaning of Institutionalisation

Answer 1

Affects experienced as a result of living in an environment for a continuous period of time with very little emotional support.

Question 2

State the research/procedure that is involved with The Effects of Institutionalisation.

Answer 2

English & Romanian adoptees procedure

Question 3

State the procedure done in The Effects of Institutionalisation.

Answer 3

• 165 orphans from institutions = studied from early 1990s
• 111 of these = adopted before age of 2
• 54 of these = adopted by age of 4

Question 4

What were the orphans tested on at regular intervals?

Answer 4

• Physical
• Cognitive
• Social Development

Question 5

What was the progress of the orphans compared to?

Answer 5

Control group of 62 British children adopted at 6 months

Question 6

What were the findings in the English & Romanian adoptees procedure?

Answer 6

• Romanian orphans:
  >Were smaller
  >Weighed less
  >Classified as mentally retarded
• Many displayed disinhibited attachment types
• Suggests long term consequences of institutionalisation is not as severe

Question 7

What are the effects of institutionalisation?

Answer 7

Physical underdevelopment:
- Physically smaller
Intellectual under-functioning:
- Cognitive development affected by emotional deprivation
Disinhibited attachment:
- Children don’t discern between attachment figures & other people
- Leads to inappropriate familiarity
Poor parenting:
- Women (grew up in institutions) had difficulty raising children

Question 8

Name the strength of the Effects of Institutionalisation

Answer 8

• Study lead to improvements of caring for children in institutions
• Children now have:
  > Lower number of caregivers
  > Offers them a chance to develop normal attachments & avoid disinhibited attachment

Question 9

Name the 1st limitation of the Effects of Institutionalisation

Answer 9

Lack of generalisability
- Romanian orphanages:
> Had poor standards of care
> Some were abused
> Had low levels of stimulation

Question 10

Name the 2nd limitation of the Effects of Institutionalisation

Answer 10

Confounding participant variables
- Due to children being neglected
> Therefore difficult to assess the effects of institutions as an independent variable
> Other difficulties children faced = influenced their behaviour