Attachment - romanian orphan studies

Question 1

Define the term ‘institutionalisation’

Answer 1

Living away from family and home

Question 2

Decribe the effects of institutionalisation

Answer 2

1. Disinhibited attachment

Children are friendly and affectionate to people they know and complete strangers
Unusual as most children show stranger anxiety
Rutter (2006) found disinhibited attachment due to having multiple caregivers during sensitive period

2. Intellectual disability

Rutter found most Romanian children showed signs of poor intellectual ability upon arrival to Britain
Recovery dependent on age of adoption
Adoption before 6 months = intelectual development can be recovered

Question 3

State the aim for Rutter’s ERA study

Answer 3

To investigate the difference between British and Romanian adoptee’s later development

Question 4

Outline the procedure for Rutter’s ERA study

Answer 4

• Longitudinal study
• 169 Romanian orphans adopted into British families
• Physical, cognitive and emotional development assessed at ages 4, 6, 11 and 15 years
• 52 British children adopted around same time made up the control group

Question 5

Outline the findings of Rutter’s ERA study

Answer 5

• When they first arrived in UK - 50% showed signs of delayed intellectual development and majority severely
  malnourished
• Rates of recovery and IQ different at 11 years old dependent on age of adoption
• Adopted after 6 months showed disinhibited attachment
• Adopted before 6 months did not show disinhibited attachment

Question 6

What is the name of Zeanah et al (2005) sudy

Answer 6

The Bucharest Early Intevention Project

Question 7

Outline the procedure of Zeanah et al (2005)

Answer 7

The Bucharest Early Intervention Project

• 95 children aged 21-31 months old who spent most of lives in institutional care
  Compared to control group of 50 children who had never lived in institution
  Attachment type measured using Strange Situation

Question 8

Outline the findings of Zeanah et al

Answer 8

The Bucharest Early Intervention Project

Control group:
* 74% secure attachment
* 20% disinhibited attachment

Institutional group
* 19% secure attachment
* 65% disorganised attachment
* 44% disinhibited attachment

Concluded that institutionalisation leads to greater vulnerability of developing disinhibited attachment and less likely to develop secure attachment