Romanian orphan studies Flashcards
Why did Romanian orphanages become so crowded around the 1990’s?
The President Nicolai Ceaucescu required Romanian women to have 5 children each in an attempt to boost the struggling economy, many of these women could not afford to raise their children and orphanages become overcrowded.
What has prompted the many orphanage studies that have taken place in the last 25 years?
A BBC documentary by Kate McGeown where she travelled to Romanian and looked at Ceausescu’s orphanages and the shocking conditions.
Who conducted the ERA study?
Michael Rutter et al. (2011).
What does the ERA mean in Rutter’s ERA study?
English and Romanian Adoptee.
Describe Rutter’s procedure:
He followed a group of 165 Romanian orphans adopted to England, he assessed physical, cognitive and emotional development at 4, 6, 11 and 15 years. A group of 52 British children adopted at the same time served as a control group.
What was the aim of Rutter’s study?
To assess the extent to which good substitution care can mitigate the damages of the orphanage.
What was the control group used in Rutter’s study?
A group of 52 British children adopted at the same times.
What were the findings of Rutter’s study (not attachment based)?
When they arrived in the UK, half of the adopters showed signs of delayed intellectual development and the majority were severely malnourished. At age 11, children adopted differential rates of recovery that were related to age of adoption. Mean IQ of those adopted before 6 months were 102, compared to 86 for those adopted between 6 months and 2 years and 77 for those adopted after 2 years.
What did Rutter find about the mitigation of intellectual damage through good substitute care?
He found that when the children were adopted affected the amount of damage done, at age 11 they were given an IQ test and the mean IQ of those adopted before 6 months was 102, between 6 months and 2 years was 86, those adopted after 2 years had a mean of 77.
What were Rutter’s findings in relation to attachments?
Those adopted after 6 months showed signs of a disinhibited attachment, the symptoms including seeking, clinginess and indiscriminate social behaviour. Those adopted before 6 months rarely showed this attachment style.
What is institutionalisation?
The term given for being in institutional care (a place where people stay for period of time such as a hospital or orphanage).
What is an orphan?
A child who’s parents have either died or have permanently abandoned them.
Who conducted the Bucharest Early Intervention Project?
Zeanah et al. (2005).
Describe the method used by Zeanah:
Assessed attachment in 895 children aged 13-21 months who had spent most of their lives in institutional care (90% on average). Attachment was measured using the Strange Situation, carers were also asked about unusual behaviours (disinhibited attachments). They were compared to a group of 50 children who had never lived in institutional care.
Describe the findings of Zeanah:
65% of institutional care group classified as disorganised attachment and 44% being disinhibited attachment. Only 19% of the institutional care group were securely attached, compared to 74% of the control group.
