20. Romanian Orphan Studies AO3

Question 1

Name a strength of studying Romanian orphans

Answer 1

Has important practical applications

Question 2

What important practical applications does studying Romanian orphans have

Answer 2

Results led to improvements in how children are cared for in institutions- children’s homes avoid large number of caregivers for each child - have one or two ‘key workers’ - playing a central role

Question 3

What do the improvements in child care mean for institutionalised children

Answer 3

Gives them chance to develop normal attachment - avoid disinhibited attachments - immensely valuable in practical terms

Question 4

Name two weaknesses of Romanian orphan studies

Answer 4

• may be issues with generalisability

- children weren’t randomly assigned to conditions

Question 5

Why may there be issues with generalisability

Answer 5

Conditions of orphanages are so bad - results may not apply to institutional care or general situations of deprivation

Question 6

What about Romanian orphans was different to other types of deprivation

Answer 6

Had particularly poor standard of care - especially when it came to forming relationships with the children

Question 7

What can be concluded from the extreme differences with Roamian orphanages

Answer 7

The unusual situational variables mean the studies may lack generalisability

Question 8

Explain why children not being randomly assigned to conditions may be an issue

Answer 8

Rutter didn’t interfere with the process of adoption - children adopted early may have been more sociable ones - a confounding variable