3.5: Romanian orphan studies

Question 1

What do orphan studies concern?

Answer 1

Orphan studies concern children placed in care, because their parents cannot look after them

Question 2

Orphan studies concern children placed in care, because their parents cannot look after them.
What is an orphan?

Answer 2

An orphan is a child whose parents:
1. Have either died
Or,
2. Have abandoned them permanently

Question 3

O’Connor et al. (1999) reported that the most enduring negative effects were difficulties making attachments, with many orphans displaying ‘indiscriminate friendliness’ (when children interact with strangers in the same way they would with a primary caregiver).
These effects appear to be positively correlated with the length of time children were institutionalised

Answer 3

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Question 4

O’Connor et al. (2000) performed a follow-up study at age 6 years, finding the improvements were maintained, but not advanced upon

Answer 4

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Question 5

Rutter et al. (2001) performed a follow-up study, finding attachment problems, hyperactivity and cognitive impairment to be associated with institutionalisation, especially in children enduring long periods of institutionalisation, although 20% of such children showed normal functioning.
Emotional problems, poor peer relations and behaviour problems were not associated with institutionalisation.
This suggests that specific negative effects are related to long-term institutionalisation, but only in certain types of children

Answer 5

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Question 6

Rutter (2007) followed up the same children at age 11, finding that many showed normal levels of functioning, but about 50% of those showing disinhibited attachments at age 6 were still doing so

Answer 6

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Question 7

Morison and Elwood (2005) found similar results with a group of Romanian orphans adopted by Canadian adoptive parents.
This suggests that Rutter’s findings are reliable

Answer 7

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Question 8

In the 1990s, what was media attention directed to?

Answer 8

In the 1990s, media attention was directed to the horrific conditions endured by children in Romanian orphanages

Question 9

In the 1990s, media attention was directed to the horrific conditions endured by children in Romanian orphanages.
What was there a lack of?

Answer 9

There was a lack of:

1. Nourishing food
2. Toys
3. Social interactions

Question 10

In the 1990s, media attention was directed to the horrific conditions endured by children in Romanian orphanages.
There was a lack of nourishing food, toys and social interactions and little in the way of what?

Answer 10

There was:

1. A lack of nourishing food, toys and social interactions
2. Little in the way of loving care

Question 11

In the 1990s, media attention was directed to the horrific conditions endured by children in Romanian orphanages.
There was a lack of nourishing food, toys and social interactions and little in the way of loving care.
Divided into age groups, who did the orphans have little contact with?

Answer 11

Divided into age groups, the orphans had little contact with:
1. Older
2. More able
peers

Question 12

In the 1990s, media attention was directed to the horrific conditions endured by children in Romanian orphanages.
There was a lack of nourishing food, toys and social interactions and little in the way of loving care.
Divided into age groups, the orphans had little contact with older and more able peers.
What happened to many of these children?

Answer 12

Many of these children were:

1. Adopted
2. Taken to more enriching environments in other countries where their progress has been monitored by psychologists in a series of research studies

Question 13

In the 1990s, media attention was directed to the horrific conditions endured by children in Romanian orphanages.
There was a lack of nourishing food, toys and social interactions and little in the way of loving care.
Divided into age groups, the orphans had little contact with older and more able peers.
Many of these children were adopted and taken to more enriching environments in other countries where their progress has been monitored by psychologists in a series of research studies, generally to see what?

Answer 13

Many of these children were:

1. Adopted
2. Taken to more enriching environments in other countries where their progress has been monitored by psychologists in a series of research studies, generally to see if the effects of institutional care and privation can be overcome in the long term

Question 14

Rutter’s ERA (English and Romanian Adoptee) study:
The procedure of Rutter’s ERA (English and Romanian Adoptee) study was that Michael Rutter and colleagues (2011) followed a group of 165 Romanian orphans adopted in Britain to test to what extent good care could make up for poor early experiences in institutions.
Physical, cognitive and emotional development was assessed at ages 4, 6, 11 and 15 years.
A group of 52 British children adopted around the same time served as a control group.
Rutter et al. found that when they first arrived in the UK, half the adoptees showed signs of delayed intellectual development and the majority were severely undernourished.
At age 11, the adopted children showed differential rates of recovery that were related to their age of adoption.
The mean IQ of those children adopted before the age of 6 months was 102, compared with 86 for those adopted between 6 months and 2 years and 77 for those adopted after 2 years.
These differences remained at age 16, as supported by Beckett et al, 2010.
In terms of attachment, there appeared to be a difference in outcome related to whether adoption took place before or after 6 months.
Those children adopted after they were 6 months showed signs of a particular attachment style called disinhibited attachment.
Symptoms include attention seeking, clinginess and social behaviour directed indiscriminately towards all adults, both familiar and unfamiliar.
In contrast, those children adopted before the age of 6 months rarely displayed disinhibited attachment

Answer 14

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Question 15

The Bucharest Early Intervention project:
The procedure of the Bucharest Early Intervention project was that Zeanah et al. (2005) assessed attachment in 95 children aged 12 - 31 months who had spent most of their lives in institutional care (90% on average).
They were compared to a control group of 50 children who had never lived in an institution.
Their attachment type was measured using the Strange Situation and carers were asked about unusual social behaviour, including clingy, attention-seeking behaviour directed inappropriately at all adults (disinhibited attachment).
Zeanah et al. found that 74% of the control group came out as securely attached in the Strange Situation.
However, only 19% of the institutional group were securely attached, with 65% being classified with disorganised attachment.
Disorganised attachment is being unable to attach to someone.
The attachment is not ongoing and very disturbed.
The description of disinhibited attachment applied to 44% of institutionalised children, as opposed to less than 20% of the control group

Answer 15

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Question 16

The effects of institutionalisation:

Disinhibited attachment:
Disinhibited attachment is a typical effect of spending time in an institution.
They are equally friendly and affectionate towards people they know well or who are strangers that they have just met.
This is highly unusual behaviour, because most children show stranger anxiety in their 2nd year.
Rutter (2006) has explained disinhibited attachment as an adaptation to living with multiple caregivers during the sensitive period for attachment formation.
In poor quality institutions like those in Romania, a child might have 50 carers, none of whom they see enough to form a secure attachment.

Mental retardation:
In Rutter’s study, most children showed signs of retardation when they arrived in Britain.
However, most of those adopted before they were 6 months old caught up with the control group by age 4.
It appears that, like emotional development, damage to intellectual development as a result of institutionalisation can be recovered provided adoption takes place before the age of 6 months - the age at which attachments form

Answer 16

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Question 17

Evaluation:
Real-life application:
Studying the Romanian orphans has enhanced our understanding of the effects of institutionalisation.

Answer 17

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