Effects of Institutionalisation

Question 1

define institution

Answer 1

refers to the place like a hospital or orphanage where children live for a long, continuous period of time
- little emotional care provided
- can lead to mental, emotional and social problems

Question 2

who conducted the Romanian orphan studies?

Answer 2

Rutter & Songua-Barke
- started in the 90s with English and Romanian adoptees

Question 3

what was the aim of ROS?

Answer 3

to examine the long term effects of Institutionalisation in a longitudinal study

Question 4

what was the procedure used?

Answer 4

• 165 Romanian adoptees raised in orphanges: 111 adopted by age 2, 54 adopted by age 4
• compared to control group of British adopted children- 52 adopted before 6 months old
• children assessed at ages 4,6,11,15 and compared to see the effects of institutionalisation
• assessed physical, social and cognitive development
• interviews with teachers and parents

Question 5

findings of ROS

Answer 5

• at adoption: Romanians behind on all aspects compared to brit counterparts
• age 4: those adopted by 6 months had caught up with their Brit counterparts in all aspects
• later follow-ups: adopted after 6 months caught up but still had issues disinhibited attachment, peer relationships, minority of those adopted

Question 6

conclusions of ROS

Answer 6

effects of institutionalisation can be reversed if children are able to form attachments later - but the later they do the more likely they are to have lasting effects

Question 7

Zeanah et al: Bucharest early intervention

Answer 7

• compared Romanian children who spent 90% of their lives in institutions to control group of Romanian children who had not
• children aged between 12-30 months
• assessed using strange situation & interviews with carers

Question 8

results of the Bucharest early intervention project:

Answer 8

control group 74% securely attached Vs institutionalised group- 19% securely attached. institutionalised group-65% disinhibited attachment

Question 9

disinhibited attachment

Answer 9

lack of boundaries sure to not having a secure attachment
- child is overly friendly to anyone & doesn’t discriminate between strangers and familiar ppl
- clingy and attention seeking

Question 10

damage to intellectual development

Answer 10

cognitive development is slowed by lack of emotional care
- intellectual underfunding/delayed intellectual development

Question 11

physical underdevelopment

Answer 11

deprivation dwarfism- bodies need love and care to physically grow

Question 12

poor parenting

Answer 12

grow up to be poor parents - Quinton (84) mothers who were institutionalised as children struggled when becoming mothers

Question 13

strengths of institutionalisation

Answer 13

useful applications
- those adopted pre 6mths caught up so led to changes in adoption processes
value of longitudinal studies
- study lasted for 20 years, short term suggest effects are permanent but long term shows effects can be overcome

Question 14

limitations of institiutionalisation

Answer 14

confounding variables
- orphans lived in terrible conditions so we cannot directly establish c+e to being institutionalised
socially sensitive
- could lead to prejudice towards Romanians as it presents them as neglectful/ in a bad light