Romanian orphan studies: effects of institutionalisation

Question 1

Institutionalisation

Answer 1

the effects of living in an institutional setting.
‘institution’ refers to a place like a hospital or an orphanage where children live for long, continuous periods of time. in such places there is often very little emotional care provided

Question 2

RUTTER’S English and Romanian Adoptee study: Procedure

Answer 2

• 165 Romanian orphans adopted in Britain
• test to what extent good care could make up for poor early experiences in insitutions.
• Physical, cognitive and emotional development has been assessed at ages 4, 6, 11 and 15 years.
• control group = 52 British children adopted around same time

Question 3

RUTTER’S ERA study: Findings

Answer 3

• 1/2 adoptees showed signs of delayed intellectual development and the majority were severely undernourished.
• age 11 the adopted children showed differential rates of recovery that were related to their age of adoption.
• Mean IQ of those children adopted before the age of 6 months was 102, compared with 86 for those adopted between 6 months and 2 years and 77 for those adopted after 2 years.
• Children adopted after 6 months showed signs of a particular attachment style called disinhibited attachment.
• symptoms include attention seeking, clinginess and social behaviour.

Question 4

Effects of institutionalisation - Disinhibited attachment

Answer 4

Equally affectionate and friendly towards people they know well or who are strangers that they have just met.

• An adaptation to living with multiple caregivers during the sensitive period for attachment formation.
• in poor quality institutions like those in Romania a child might have 50 careers none of whom they see enough to form a secure attachment.

Question 5

Effects of institutionalisation - Mental retardation

Answer 5

• most children showed signs of retardation when they arrived in Britain.
• However, most of those adopted before they were 6 months caught up with the control group by age 4.