Maternal Deprivation Hypothesis Flashcards
Bowlby quote-
What is believed to be essential for mental health is that the infant and young child should experience a warm, intimate and continuous relationship with his mother (or permanent mother-substitute—one person who steadily ‘mothers’ him) in which both find satisfaction and enjoyment.
critical period
2.5 years
what is monotropism
where children only get attached to one figure
Effect of early institutionalisation- LONGITUDINAL STUDY
26 children aged 4- admitted to a residential nursery at 4 months and were still there. Control group- had been at the nursery but been adopted (24) or returned to mothers (15). AND 30 children working class who had not been to residential homes.
each child was interviewed + intelligence test given and parent/carer also interviewed. Adopted/ restored children were more friendly towards interviewer.
Institutionalised had the most behavioural issues-low ratings still which is positive
. High scores in ‘poor concentration’, ‘problems with peers’, ‘temper tantrums’ in institutionalised kids.
Nurses reported institutionalised kids ‘did not care much about anyone else’.
some adopted/restored children said to be ‘overfriendly’ to strangers.
children still in care failed to form attachments due to high staff turnover.
ISSUES- individual differences such as gender and race may be confounding. relies on nurse/parent views which may be less reliable.
TIZARD AND HODGES-Follow up at 8 years= only 8 still in care. Rest had good relationships wiht adoptive parents and high IQ scores. However long term effects from institutionalisation still showed up in teacher reports rated as more attention seeking, restless, and disobedient than home reared children.
TIZARD AND HODGES-Follow up at 16 years of age= both parents and teachers rated ex institutionalised children higher on emotional and behavioural issues than home reared. They also had more issues with social relationships and scored hgiher on symptoms of anxiety
HARLOW Monkeys 1969
Monkeys were seperated from mothers and raised in isolation. Total isolation with diffused light and partial sound or partial isolation where they could see and hear but not contact other monkeys.
when released they were extremely socially maladjusted- terrified of other monkeys
at 6-12 months this produced irreversible effects- shows deprivation
Additionally could not mate and if they did they were abusive rather than caring towards their infants.
when placed with a younger monkey before being put with all the other monkeys a less severe social maladjustment effect was shown.
Isolated with ‘mother monkeys’ cloth and wire- all monkeys ate the same amount BUT monkeys showed preference for cloth mother monkey for support even if being fed by the wire one e..g when scared from a loud noise they would go to the cloth monkey.
ISRAILEI KIBBUTZIM
had a philosophy of equality leading to children being raised communally, sleeping with others away from family, and taught by nurses (raised in a group environment and see parents 1-2 hours a day)
Avezier et al reviewed this community. They found that collective sleeping arrangements were problematic leading to insecure attachment types. Avezier also found collective sleeping arrangements after age 6 led to less emotional security at age 11.
concluding it is important in early life to be raised by few caregivers.
