Romanian orphan studies Flashcards
What was the purpose of studying Romanian orphans?
To study the effects of maternal deprivation on emotional and intellectual development
Research focused on the impact of institutional care and deprivation.
What was the policy of former President Nicolai Ceauçescu regarding children in Romania?
Required Romanian women to have five children
This led to many children being placed in orphanages due to financial constraints.
What was the English and Romanian adoptee (ERA) study?
A study following 165 Romanian orphans adopted by UK families
Aimed to investigate recovery from poor early experiences.
What were the ages at which the Romanian orphans’ development was assessed in the ERA study?
4, 6, 11, 15, and 22-25 years
This longitudinal approach helped track development over time.
What percentage of the Romanian orphans showed signs of delayed intellectual development upon arrival in the UK?
50%
Most were also severely undernourished at that time.
What was the mean IQ of children adopted before six months compared to those adopted after?
102 for those adopted before six months, 86 for those adopted between six months and two years, and 77 for those adopted after two years
These differences persisted into adolescence.
What attachment style was observed in children adopted after six months?
Disinhibited attachment
Symptoms include attention-seeking and indiscriminate social behavior.
What was the Bucharest early intervention (BEI) project?
A study assessing attachment in 95 Romanian children aged 12-31 months in institutional care
Compared to a control group of children who had never lived in an institution.
What percentage of the control group was securely attached in the Strange Situation?
74%
In contrast, only 19% of the institutional group were securely attached.
What percentage of institutionalized children exhibited disinhibited attachment?
44%
Compared to less than 20% in the control group.
What is disinhibited attachment?
A behavior where children are equally friendly towards familiar and unfamiliar people
This behavior is unusual as most children show stranger anxiety.
How did Rutter explain disinhibited attachment in children from institutions?
As an adaptation to living with multiple caregivers during the sensitive period for attachment formation
Lack of time spent with any one caregiver prevents secure attachment.
What was the intellectual development outcome for most children adopted before six months?
They caught up with the control group by age four
Indicates potential recovery from intellectual disability due to early institutionalization.
Fill in the blank: Damage to _______ development can be recovered provided adoption takes place before six months.
intellectual
The critical age for forming attachments is before six months.
What is one strength of the Romanian orphanage studies?
Their application to improve conditions for children growing up outside their family home
This has led to better understanding of the effects of early institutional care and how to mitigate these effects.
How have psychologists used the findings from Romanian orphan studies?
To improve conditions for looked-after children by reducing the number of caregivers per child
Children now tend to have one or two ‘key workers’ for emotional care.
What is now considered an undesirable option for looked-after children?
Institutional care
Efforts are made to accommodate children in foster care or adoption instead.
What is avoided in children placed in institutional care due to these studies?
Disinhibited attachment
This is crucial for the normal development of attachments.
What is another strength of the Romanian orphan studies?
The lack of confounding variables
Previous orphan studies were complicated by experiences of trauma, neglect, and abuse.
Why are the results from Romanian orphan studies considered to have higher internal validity?
Because children were mainly handed over by parents who could not afford to keep them
This reduces confounding factors associated with other negative early experiences.
What is a counterpoint to the strengths of the Romanian orphan studies?
The quality of care in institutions was poor
This raises questions about whether harmful effects are due to institutional care itself or the poor quality of that care.
What is a limitation of the Romanian orphanage studies?
The lack of data on adult development
The latest data only covers children in their early to mid-20s.
What important research questions remain unanswered due to the lack of adult data?
Lifetime prevalence of mental health problems and success in adult relationships
It will take time to gather this longitudinal data.
What is a potential outcome for late-adopted children according to the studies?
They may ‘catch up’
This suggests some resilience in development despite early institutional care.
