Attachment(Romanian orphan studies; effects of institutionalisation)

Question 1

Rutter and Sonuga Barke studies (procedure)

Answer 1

• Rutter and Sonuga Barke have led the study of Romanian orphans since 1990’s .
• The study is called ‘ERA’ (English and Romanian adoptees). (focuses on Romanian and English orphans
• Discusses 165 Romanian children who spent early lives in Romanian institutions.
• Had suffered effects of institutionalisation.
• Of the 165 Romanian orphans 111 were adopted before the age of two years and the remaining 54 by 4 years.
• Adoptees had been tested at regular intervals of 4, 6 ,11 years old and were tested on their physical, social and cognitive development.
• The research was compared between 52 infants of the UK that had been adopted before the age of 6 months

Question 2

Rutter and Sonuga Barke Findings -

Answer 2

• At the time of adoption the Romanian orphans lagged behind the English orphans on all measures of social, physical and cognitive development.
• Were smaller, weighed less and were mentally retarded.
• By age of 4 some had caught up to the British counterparts. (Mainly for the ones adopted by the age of at least 6 months or less)
• Orphans that were adopted prior to 6 months showed disinhibited attachment and struggled with peer relationships.

Question 3

Other research findings -

Answer 3

Romanian orphans were also observed by Le Mare and Audet reported findings of a 36 Romanian orphans adopted to families in Canada and were used to measure physical growth and health, they were however physically smaller than the control group. But the difference had disappeared by 10.5 years. Does suggest their is evidence for improvement over time from institutionalisation and physical development.

Question 4

Physical underdevelopment (EOI) -

Answer 4

Physical underdevelopment - Children in
institutional care are usually physically smaller and they lack emotional care with deprivation dwarfism.

Question 5

Intellectual under-functioning (EOI)

Answer 5

Cognitive functioning can also be affected and they have been found to do poorly on IQ tests, when moved to homes where they received emotional care they score improved by 30 points

Question 5

Disinhibited attachment (EOI) -

Answer 5

A form of insecure attachment, where individuals form attachment with anyone, non-discriminately. Treat strangers inappropriately. (Often attention seeking).

Question 6

Poor parenting (EOI) -

Answer 6

A group of 50 women who had been reared in institutions compared to a control group of another 50 who had been reared at home, showed that when in their 20’s the ex-institutional women were experiencing extreme difficulties acting as parents.

Question 7

Deprivation is not the only factor - Limitation

Answer 7

The influence of confounding variables were heavily linked on the IV of institutions. For example they weren’t just faced with emotional deprivation but also the physical conditions were also poor and this impacted physical health. Lack of cognitive stimulation for example didn’t receive help with emotions and this would also help their development. It also means there is poor subsequent care and poor care in infancy therefore the effects of institutional care may go beyond just emotional deprivation and lack of well-being.

Question 8

Real-life application - Strength

Answer 8

Can be applied to improving children’s life in care, Bowlby and Robertson changed the way the children were looked after in hospital, specifically on the idea of early adoption. Babies are now adopted within the first week of birth and research has shown that adopted mothers and children are just as securely attached as non-adoptive families. Highlights that infants who are adopted before the sensitive period are just as likely to form attachments with the non-biological primary caregiver than non-adoptive infants.