Romanian Orphan Studies

Question 1

Study 1. Rutter et al , PROCEDURE

Answer 1

Rutter investigate the effects of institutionalisation by following the progress of 165 romanian orphans and a control group of british children adopted before the age of 6 months.
The children´s development was assessed at the age of 4, 6, 11 and 15.

Question 2

Study 1. Rutter et al , RESULTS

Answer 2

• By the age of 11 , rates of recovery related to the age of adoption.
• The mean IQ of children adopted before 6 months was 102. 86 for those adopted between 6 months and 2 years and 76 for those adopted after 2 years.
• The Romanian orphans adopted after 6 months showed signs of disinhibited attachment

Question 3

Study 2. Zeanah et al, PROCEDURE

Answer 3

Zeanah compared 96 Romanian orphans , aged 12-13 months, who has spent most of their lives in institutional care, with 50 Romanian orphans who had not been in an institution.
Each child´s attachment type was measured using Strange Situation.

Question 4

Study 2. Zeanah et al, RESULTS

Answer 4

19% of the institutionalised children were classified as having a securely attachment, compared to 74% of the control group.

44% of the institusionalised children were classified has having disorganised attachment, compared to 20% of the control group.

Question 5

Effects on Institutionalisation.

Answer 5

Disinhibited attachment and Mental retardation.

Question 6

STRENGTH

Answer 6

Real-life application.
*This is because , studyinf roman orphans has an understanding of the effects on institutionalistation, leading to improvements in the way children are cared for institutions

*This is important because , provides the child with the opportunity to develop a secure attachment with their caregiver due to the consistency of the care that they provide.

Question 7

1 LIMITATION

Answer 7

Romanian Orphanages were not typical.
*This is because, the standars of care in the romanian orphanages were not typical of the care children would normally experience in an institution.

*This is a problem because , it limits the extent to the findings from romanian orphan studies can be generalised to other types of institutional settings.

Question 8

2 LIMITATION

Answer 8

Long term effects are not clear.
* This is because , studies were carried out when the children from romanian orphanages were 16.

• This is a problem because, it may be that the intellectual and social impairments shwon by the children who spent longer periods of time in romanian orpahanages.
• Rutter found that very few of romanian orphanages continued to display signs of marked disinhibition at the age of 11.