institutionalisation AO3 Flashcards
1
Q
evaluation of romanian orphanage studies - real-world application (strength)
A
- their application to improve conditions for children growing up outside their family home
- studying the romanian orphans has improved psychoologists’ understanding of the effects of early institutional care and how to prevent the worst of these effects (langton). this has led to improvements in the conditions experienced by looked-after children I.e children growing up in the care system.
- for example, children’s homes now avoid having large numbers of caregivers for each child. instead, the children tend to have one or two ‘key workers’ who play a central role in their emotional care.
- this means that children in institutional care have a chance to develop normal attachments and disinhibited attachment is avoided
2
Q
evaluation of romanian studies - fewer confounding variables (strength)
A
- the lack of confounding variables
- there were many orphan studies before the romanian orphans became available to study. many of the children studied in orphanages had experienced varying degrees of trauma nad it is difficult to disentangle the effects of neglect, physical abuse and bereavement from those of institutional care.
- however, the children from romanian orphanages had, in the main, been handed over by loving parents who could not afford to keep them
- this means that results were much less likely to be confounded by other negative early experiences (higher internal validity)
3
Q
evaluation of institutionalisation - fewer confounding variables (counterpoint)
A
- on the other hand, studying children from romanian orphanages might have introduced different confounding variables.
- the quality of care in these institutions was remarkably poor, with children receiving very little intellectual stimulation or comfort
- this means that the harmful effects seen in studies of romanian orphans may represent the effects of poor institutional care rather than institutional care per se
