Romanian orphan studies

Question 1

Rutter’s procedure

Answer 1

• Followed group of 165 romanian orphans for many years as part of ERA
• Physical, cognitive and emotional development assessed at 4,6,11,15,22-25 years
• Control group of 52 uk children adopted around the same time

Question 2

Rutter’s findings

Answer 2

• 1/2 showed signs of delayed intellectual development and majority undernourished
• Before 6 months IQ 102
• 6 months-2 years 86
• After 2 years 77
• Adopted after 6 months showed signa of ‘disinhibited attachment’
• Adopted before rarely showed signs

Question 3

Disinhibited attachment

Answer 3

Attention seeking, clinginess, social behaviour directed indiscriminately towards both familiar and unfamiliar

Question 4

Zeanah’s procedure

Answer 4

Used ‘strange situation’ too assess attachment of 95 romanian orphans and a control group of 50
Carers also asked about unusual social behaviour (disinhibited attachment)

Question 5

Zeanah’s findings

Answer 5

74% control group classified as securely attached
Only 19% of insitutional group
Description of disinhibited attachment matched 44% institutional group compared to less than 20% control

Question 6

Effects of institutionalisation

Answer 6

Disinhibited attachment - in institutions children have many carers so cannot attach to one person
Intellectual disability - most adopted before 6 months had caught up with control group by 4
Damage can be recovered provided adoption takes place before 6months

Question 7

Strength - application

Answer 7

Real world application - imrpovements incare systems e.g. now avoid having large numbers of caregivers
Children in care can have a chance to develop normal attachments and disinhibited are avoided

Question 8

Strength - validity

Answer 8

High ecological validity as the IV (institutionalisation) is naturally occuring

Question 9

Limitation

Answer 9

Cannot be ethically repeated - low reliability