Bowlbys theory or maternal deprivation+Institutionalisation Flashcards
Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation: explanation
-focuses on the importance of infants relationship with primary caregiver, generally the mother, in shaping a child’s emotional and social development, and maternal deprivation causing potential negative consequences for a child from lacking a consistent and responsive caregiver during the critical period of their life.
-Some consequences include, inability to form secondary attachments (internal working model), Affectionless psychopathy (inability to feel remorse), cognitive development issues (low iq), delinquency
Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation: evaluation: Strength 1
Research to show that prolonged maternal deprivation causes affectionless psychopathy. Bowlby’s 44 thieves study examined this, used sample of 44 teenage delinquents accused of stealing. 14 were affectionless, 12 had experienced prolonged separtaion in first 2 years of their lives. In control group 2/44 hyad maternal separation but 0/44 were affectionless psychopaths, so supports there may be long term damage due to maternal deprivation.
Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation: evaluation: Strength 2
significant real world applications, as they highlight the importance of positive attachment experiences and maintaining a mono tropic bond in the first five years, which have been instrumental in the developments of good childcare practices. Greater stability in childcare practice has been developed through daycare centres assigning caregivers to children and hospital visiting hours have been reviewed so that children can maintain contact with their parents.
Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation: evaluation: Limitation 1
Bowlby didnt acknowledge the idea that children can recover from these effects. Ackowledged in Rutters Romanian orphanage study where institutionalised children went on to develop well both physiclaly and cognitively suggesting that children can learn to cope with the effects of maternal deprivation.
Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation: evaluation: Limitation 2
Koluchova reported on identical twins whose mother died soon after birth, their stepmother locked them in a cellar for five and a half years. Discovered at 7 they were underdeveloped but were adopted and given physical therapy, going on to have successful adult relationships. Suggests damaging effects of maternal deprivation can be overturned.
Effects of Institutionalisation: explanation
Childcare provided by orphanages and care homes with distnctive attachment behaviour called disinhibited attachment. This will include clingy,attention seeking behaviour, indiscrimnate sociability to adults.
Effects of Institutionalisation: Rutter (1998): explanation
-longitutidnal study with chidlren aged (adopted before 6 months, between 6 months and 2 years, after 2 years). 111 orphans had their cognitive functioning assesed when adopted and again at age 4.
-50% of romanian orphans retarded in cognitive functioning at initial assesment and by age 4 had showed great imrpovments
- so negative effects of institutionalisation can be overcome by sensitive nurturing care.
Effects of Institutionalisation: Rutter (1998): evaluation: Strength 1
Most of the children examined in these studies were placed in institutions from birth, which means they have not suffered from abuse, neglect or other trauma. This makes it easier to study the effects of institutionalisation in isolation because there are fewer confounding variables. There were no significant ethical issues in Romanian orphan studies.
Effects of Institutionalisation: Rutter (1998): evaluation: Strength 2
Langton (2006) notes that the findings of this research have changed the way institutions operate, namely by improving the quality of care and providing a limited number of caregivers for a child so that they can form attachments.
Effects of Institutionalisation: Rutter (1998): evaluation: Limitation 1
There were exceptional circumstances in the Romanian orphanages, including poor care quality and low intellectual stimulation levels. It is thus difficult to generalise the results of the studies in Romanian orphanages to other situations of deprivation.
Effects of Institutionalisation: Rutter (1998): evaluation: Limitation 2
The studies only followed children’s development up to 15, making it difficult to determine and compare the long-term to short-term effects of institutionalisation and deprivation.
