Attachment- Romanian orphan studies Flashcards
Institutionalisation -
A term for the effects of living in an institutional setting. The term ‘institution’ refers to a place like a hospital or an orphanage where children live for long, continuous periods of time. In such places there is often very little emotional care provided. In attachment research we are interested in the effects of institutional care on children’s attachment and subsequent development.
Orphan studies -
These concern children placed in care because their parents cannot look after them. An orphan is a child whose parents have either died or have abandoned them permanently.
What is the focus of Romanian orphan studies?
Romanian orphan studies examine the effects of institutionalization on children’s physical, cognitive, and emotional development, particularly focusing on recovery through adoption and the impact of early deprivation.
What was the procedure of Rutter’s ERA (English and Romanian Adoptee) study?
Rutter and colleagues followed 165 Romanian orphans adopted in Britain, assessing their development at ages 4, 6, 11, and 15. A control group of 52 British adoptees was also studied for comparison.
What were the findings of Rutter’s ERA study regarding intellectual development?
Children adopted before six months had a mean IQ of 102, those adopted between six months and two years had 86, and those adopted after two years had 77. These differences persisted into adolescence.
What is disinhibited attachment, and how was it linked to age of adoption in Rutter’s study?
Disinhibited attachment involves indiscriminate social behavior, such as attention-seeking and clinginess, directed at all adults. It was more common in children adopted after six months, while those adopted earlier rarely displayed it.
What was the procedure of the Bucharest Early Intervention Project?
Zeanah et al. (2005) assessed attachment in 95 institutionalized children aged 12-31 months and compared them to 50 non-institutionalized children using the Strange Situation and caregiver reports of social behavior.
What were the findings of the Bucharest Early Intervention Project?
19% of institutionalized children were securely attached, compared to 74% of controls. 65% of institutionalized children showed disorganized attachment, and 44% displayed disinhibited attachment, compared to less than 20% of controls.
What is disinhibited attachment, and how does it relate to institutionalization?
Disinhibited attachment is a lack of stranger anxiety and indiscriminate friendliness toward all adults. It is a typical effect of institutionalization, likely due to having multiple caregivers without forming secure attachments.
How does institutionalization affect intellectual development?
In Rutter’s study, most children showed intellectual retardation upon arrival in the UK, but those adopted before six months caught up to the control group by age four, showing recovery potential.
What is a strength of Romanian orphan studies in terms of real-life application?
The studies have improved childcare practices in institutions, such as introducing key workers to provide consistent care, reducing disinhibited attachment, and promoting normal attachment development.
Why do Romanian orphan studies have fewer extraneous variables than other orphan studies?
Unlike earlier orphan studies, Romanian orphans often had no prior trauma or loss, allowing researchers to study the effects of institutionalization in isolation, increasing internal validity.
What is a limitation of Romanian orphan studies in terms of generalizability?
The extreme conditions of Romanian orphanages (e.g., poor care, lack of intellectual stimulation) may limit the applicability of findings to better-quality institutions or other forms of deprivation.
What ethical issues arise in Romanian orphan studies?
In Rutter’s ERA study, children were not randomly assigned to conditions, potentially confounding results. The Bucharest Early Intervention Project used random allocation, raising ethical concerns despite methodological benefits.
What is uncertain about the long-term effects of institutionalization?
While some effects (e.g., intellectual delays, attachment issues) persist into adolescence, it is unclear whether late-adopted children will “catch up” or if early-adopted children will develop emotional problems as adults.
What does the Bucharest Early Intervention Project reveal about disorganized attachment?
65% of institutionalized children showed disorganized attachment, compared to a smaller percentage in the control group, highlighting the impact of institutional care on attachment security.
How does Rutter explain disinhibited attachment in institutionalized children?
Rutter suggests that disinhibited attachment results from adapting to multiple caregivers during the sensitive period for attachment formation, preventing the development of secure attachments.
What does Rutter’s ERA study suggest about the critical period for recovery from deprivation?
Recovery is more likely if children are adopted before six months, as this aligns with the age at which attachments typically form, supporting the idea of a sensitive period for recovery.
What are the implications of Romanian orphan studies for childcare practices?
The studies emphasize the importance of consistent caregiving and the role of key workers in preventing disinhibited attachment and promoting healthy emotional and intellectual development.
What does the Bucharest Early Intervention Project reveal about the prevalence of secure attachment in institutionalized children?
Only 19% of institutionalized children were securely attached, compared to 74% of non-institutionalized children, underscoring the negative impact of institutional care on attachment security.
What does the evidence from Romanian orphan studies imply about the effects of institutionalization?
The studies suggest that while early adoption can mitigate some effects of institutionalization, prolonged deprivation leads to lasting emotional and intellectual challenges, particularly disinhibited and disorganized attachment.
