Lesson 8 Bowlby's Theory of Maternal Deprivation

Question 1

Maternal Deprivation

Answer 1

Bowlby (1953) proposed that children who suffer from prolonged emotional deprivation, caused by the absence of their primary attachment figure (usually – but not always – the mother) will have long-term intellectual (lower IQ), social (delinquency) and emotional (affectionless psychopathy) difficulties and even mental health issues (such as depression). According to the continuity hypothesis these effects are irreversible and will continue into adulthood due to a lack of an internal working model, which could even lead to an inability to be a good parent.

The negative impact of maternal deprivation could occur if the separation occurs before the child is two and a half years old (critical period). Although there is a risk up to five years old (sensitive period) and there is no substitute mother-figure available to take over the emotional care of the child.

Question 2

Bowlby (1944)

Answer 2

Bowlby analysed the case histories of a number of his patients in the Child Guidance Clinic in London where he worked. All the children attending this clinic were emotionally maladjusted. He studied 88 of these children, half of whom had been caught stealing (44 thieves), the other half were a control group. Bowlby suggested that 14 of the thieves were affectionless psychopaths; they lacked affection, shame and responsibility for their actions.

Bowlby found that those individuals who had been diagnosed as affectionless psychopaths had experienced frequent early separations form their mothers (repeated stays in foster care, time in hospital etc.). 12 of the affectionless psychopaths had experienced frequent separations from their mothers compared with only 5 out of 30 of the thieves who were not classed as affectionless psychopaths. Almost none of the control group had experienced early separations from their mothers.

Question 3

Advantages of Bowlby’s Theory of Maternal Deprivation

Answer 3

+ Before Bowlby’s (1953) theory hospitals would not allow parents to visit their children during stays in hospital (or would only allow infrequent visits – e.g. once a week). This often had a profound and damaging effect on the child. Nowadays parents are actively encouraged to stay in hospital with their children.

+ Spitz (1945) examined children raised in a poor quality orphanage in South America. Members of staff were overworked, under trained and rarely gave the children any attention or affection. The children displayed anaclitic depression (loss of appetite, sleeplessness and sadness).

+ Skodak and Skeeles (1949) found that children placed in institutions that only looked after them physically scored poorly on intelligence tests. However, when the same children were transferred to a different institution which gave the children emotional care the IQ scores improved by almost 30 points

Question 4

Disadvantages of Bowlby’s Theory of Maternal Deprivation

Answer 4

• The effects of maternal deprivation have been shown to be reversible. Children who had never formed attachments and were adopted after the age of four were still able to form attachments to their new parents (Tizard et al. 1989).
• Bowlby did not really distinguish between deprivation (when the attachment figure is lost) and privation (when the child has never formed an attachment). It could be the latter that causes the extreme negative effects observed in some studies.