Bowlby's maternal deprivation Flashcards
What does Bowlby’s theory focus on ?
Focusing on the continual presence of nurture from a mother is essential for normal psychological ( emotionally and intellectually) development.
What previous research provided the foundations for Bowlby’s research?
Spitz and wolf / Skodak and Sceels
Spitz and Wolf - observed when 100 children were out into care in an institution became depressed within a few months
Skodak and skeels - found that those children who were in institutions scored poorly on intelligence tests. This then improved after emotional care.
Suggesting that maternal deprivation can affect intellect
What does Bowlby sugegst about the value of maternal care ?
Prior to 44 thieves study people had only considered the importance of physical care and food
Bowlby the first to recognise the deep impact of emotional care and an intimate continuous relationship with a mother to ensure continuing normal health
What is deprivation and maternal deprivation ?
**Maternal deprivation **
The emotional and intellectual consequences between a child and their mother or substitute
**Deprivation **
The loss of emotional care that is normally provided by a caregiver
What did Bowlby suggest about the critical period within MD?
- Bowlby saw the first 2.5 years of life as a critical period for psychological development
- If child is absent from mother and in the absence of suitable care and deprived of mothers emotional care within this period → psychological damage is inevitable
Stated there was a continued risk until 5
How logn did Bowlby suggest this critical period is ?
2.5 years
What are the intellectual effects on development Bowlby suggested ?
Children deprived of mother care in the critical period - suffered delayed intellectual development and low IQ
Demonstrated by Goldfarb → found lower IQ in children who remained in childcare as opposed to those who were fostered and had higher emotional care.
What emotional development did Bowlby suggest?
- Being deprived can affect child’s emotional development
- Identified affectionless psychopath - the inability to experience guilt or strong emotion for others.
Prevents developing normal relationships
Often associated with criminality
Not able to appreciate the feelings of victims - therefore lack remorse actions
What is affectionless psychopathy?
an individual who cannot exhibit caring behaviours / concern or affection for other people. Unable to show empathy, remorse or guilt for their actions.
Aim of the 44 thieves study
To find out if prolonged emotional deprivation would have long term consequences on emotional development
44 thieves study - procedure
Analysed the case studies of a number of his patients in the child guidance clinic in London
* All children studied believed to be emotionally maladjusted
* Studies case studies of 88 children and 44 of these were caught stealing
Findings of 44 thief study
- 14/44 thieves - described as affectionless psychopaths
- 12/14 86% had experienced prolonged separation in first 2 years of their life
- Only 5/30 remaining 17% had experienced separations
- Control group only 2/44 had long separations
conclusions of the 44 thief study
Prolonged separation can cause affection psychopathy/
Early separations are linked to affectionless psychopathy. * The lack of continuous care may well cause emotional maladjustment or even mental disorders
Strengths
- Support from animal research
Support of the view that attachment in infancy can have long term effects
Levy - showed separating baby rats from their mothers for as little as a day → had a permanent affect on their social development though not other aspects
Problems with generalising animal studies to humans
- Long term effects - supporting evidence
Bifulco -
Studied women who experienced separation to their mothers for over a year
25% experienced depression or an anxiety disorder
Separation/ interruption to infancy had lead to emotional disorder
However, only 25% does not explain why the 75% did not → Partial - Real world application
Greater stability in childcare practices assigning caregiver to child - allowing for additional attachments - More govt financial paternity / maternity leave
E.g sweden offers 480 days highlighting its support for early attachment instances
Limitations
Evidence may be poor
Bowlby drew on multiple sourced of evidence → however these are all flawed as evidence
1) War - orphans were traumatised + poor aftercare - these may caused difficulty not dep
2) Children growing up in institutions -> deprived of not just maternal are
3) His 44 thief study - design flaws bias
Bowlyby carried out the assessments himself knowing what he’d hope to find
- Counter - evidence
Lewis - partially replicated the 44 thieves study on 500 ppl
In her sample prolonged separation in infant did not predict criminality or difficulty forming relationships
Undermines Bowlby as suggests other factors may affect the outcome of material deprivation - Critical period more of a sensitive period
Research shows the damage is not inevitable
Some cases of severe dep had good outcomes providing the infant with some social interaction and good after care
Koluchova - reported case of twin boys who were isolated from 18 months in a cupboard until they were 7
Subsequently they were looked after by 2 loving adults and recovered fully
- Suggests Bowlby’s may have a sensitive period but cannot be critical as it is not inevitable
Deprivation or Privation - No clear evidence in 44 thieve study suffered deprivation or privation meaning that some may have never suffered deprivation
Further classification and in depth data would be more specifically in showing what caused these differences
- Economical implications
Having additional people in hospital
Having longer maternity / paternity care
Is costly to the economy
