Attachment 6 | Romanian orphan studies: effects of institutionalisation. Flashcards
AO1: What was the aim of Rutter’s English and Romanian Adoptee (ERA) study?
To investigate the long-term effects of institutionalisation in Romanian orphans who were adopted into UK families.
AO1: What was the procedure of Rutter’s ERA study?
111 Romanian orphans were assessed at ages 4, 6, 11, and 15. They were compared to 52 British adoptees who had not experienced institutionalisation.
AO1: What were the key findings of Rutter’s ERA study?
Children adopted before 6 months had normal IQs and attachment. Those adopted after 6 months showed lower IQ and disinhibited attachment.
AO1: What is disinhibited attachment?
A type of insecure attachment where children are overly friendly to strangers and lack close, selective attachment bonds.
AO1: What were the key findings of the Bucharest Early Intervention Project?
Institutionalised children had lower secure attachment rates (19% vs. 74%) and higher rates of disorganised attachment.
AO1: What are the effects of institutionalisation on intellectual development?
Institutionalisation can lead to cognitive impairment, lower IQ scores, and developmental delays, particularly if adoption occurs after 6 months.
AO1: What are the effects of institutionalisation on emotional development?
Institutionalisation is linked to attachment disorders, including disinhibited attachment and difficulty forming close relationships.
AO1: What real-world applications have come from Romanian orphan studies?
Findings led to improvements in childcare, such as assigning children to key workers to promote attachment security.
AO3: How has research into Romanian orphans had real-world applications?
It has improved childcare practices, such as key worker assignments, reducing disinhibited attachment and improving emotional development.
AO3: Why might Romanian orphan studies lack generalisability?
Conditions in Romanian orphanages were extreme and may not reflect institutionalisation experiences in other countries.
AO3: How do longitudinal studies strengthen Romanian orphan research?
They allow researchers to assess the long-term effects of institutionalisation and track recovery over time.
AO3: How do individual differences challenge the findings of Romanian orphan studies?
Some children recovered well despite severe deprivation, suggesting factors like personality and resilience influence outcomes.
