Effects of institutionalisation Flashcards
What is institutionalisation?
Children spending a long period of time outside of the family home within an institution
What can institutionalisation result in?
A loss of personal identity and child adopting norms and rules of institution which can impair cognitive functioning
What are the three effects of institutionalisation?
Reactive attachment disorder
Disinhibited attachment
Cognitive impairment
How does a reactive attachment disorder develop?
Extreme lack of sensitive responsiveness from parent in early life
What does lack of sensitive responsiveness lead to?
A child growing up unable to love or trust others
What is the personality like of someone with a reactive attachment disorder?
Become isolated and very selfish
(almost sociopathic)
How do children with a disinhibited attachment select attachment figures?
Indiscriminately
How do children with disinhibited attachments act around complete strangers?
Overly friendly and affectionate
What causes a disinhibited attachment?
long periods of institutional care in early life, may learn to attach to multiple caregivers
What is a further behavioural disorder those with disinhibited attachment can show?
Attention seeking
What is cognitive impairment?
A delay in intellectual development
What would those with cognitive impairment suffer with?
Low IQ, poor concentration, learning new behaviours and concepts
Who did research into Romanian orphans attachment?
Rutter et al
What was Rutter’s aim?
To investigate whether loving and nurturing care could overturn the effects of institutionalisation
Rutters sample?
111 Romanian orphans who were adopted into British families
Rutters study type?
Longitudinal
What 3 types of development were assessed in Rutters research?
Physical
Emotional
Cognitive
What was the IV in Rutters research?
Age of adoption
What was the DV in Rutters research?
Children’s development
What were the three groups that Rutter studied?
Adopted before 6 months old
Adopted between 6 months and 2 years
Adopted after the age of 2
Who were the orphans compared to?
British adopted children
What % of the orphans showed signs of cognitive impairment and were undernourished?
50
Who was found to have a higher level of disinhibited attachment?
Those adopted older than two years of age
How were the orphans adopted before 6 months doing in comparison to the control group?
just as well
What was the IQ of those adopted before the age of 6 months?
Normal
What was the IQ of those adopted after the age of two years?
Low
Conclusion of Rutters research?
Some negative effects of institutionalisation can be overcome by sensitive care
