Attachment: Romanian Orphans

Question 1

What are key terms for Romanian orphan studies?

Answer 1

• Institutionalisation
• Disinhibited attachment behaviour
• Intellectual disability

Question 2

Who carried out the Romanian orphans study?

Answer 2

Rutter

Question 3

What was the aim of Romanian orphans study?

Answer 3

Rutter aimed to find out if the good care they received in Britain has any reversal on the effects of their institutionalisation.

Question 4

What was the method of the Romanian Orphans study?

Answer 4

• Found 165 Romanian orphans and tested them at the age of 4,6,11 and 15.
• Examining physical, emotional and cognitive development
• Could be compared to control group

Question 5

What was the control group used in Romanian Orphans study?

Answer 5

Consisted of 52 British orphans adopted around same age.

Question 6

What were the Romanian orphans like when they first arrived in UK?

Answer 6

Their intellectual development was below average and they were extremely malnourished.

Question 7

What ages when adopted were compared?

Answer 7

Compared before 6 months old vs after 6 months when adopted.

Question 8

Romanian Orphans study findings: Different rates of recovery (IQ)

Answer 8

-Mean IQ of children adopted before 6 months was higher than those adopted after 6 months. These differences remained the same at age of 16 (Beckett et al)

Question 9

Romanian orphans study findings: Attachment

Answer 9

Those adopted after 6 months showed a particular attachment style called disinhibited attachment. (Symptoms also included attention seeking and clinginess)

Question 10

What is disinhibited attachment?

Answer 10

Where the children would act the same towards strangers as they would the caregivers.

Question 11

What is institutionalisation?

Answer 11

Any effects of living in an institutional setting. E.g. orphanage, prison.

Question 12

What are the main affects caused by institutionalisation?

Answer 12

• Disinhibited attachment behaviour

- Intellectual disability

Question 13

Why did the orphans suffer from disinhibited attachment?

Answer 13

Living in institutions had multiple care-givers and had no sensitivity of care. No secure attachment formed

Question 14

What is intellectual disability?

Answer 14

Abnormally low IQ when compared to those of same age.

Question 15

What did Rutters study show about the effects the effects of institutionalisation on intellectual-disability?

Answer 15

Showed that those adopted before age of 6 months could catch up to control group. Shows the effects can be reversed if adopted before 6 months.

Question 16

What research is used in comparison to Romanian Orphans study?

Answer 16

Zeanah- Bucharest Early Intervention study.

Question 17

Summary of Zeanah’s study?

Answer 17

• 95 children (12-31 months) attachment was assessed on children who spent most of their lives in an institution. (used strange situation)
• Most had disinhibited attachment

Question 18

What are advantages of rutters study?

Answer 18

• Longitudinal study - lots of detailed info over a long period of time.
• Research has enabled a better understanding of institutions.
• Shown privation can be reversed, suggesting Bowlby exaggerated.

Question 19

Disadvantages of Rutters study?

Answer 19

• Individual Differences - Rutter has suggested some children may have received special attention in institution. (affecting validity)
• Long-term effects not yet clear.