Romanian orphanage Flashcards
Who were the researchers for the Romanian Orphanage study?
Rutter and Songua-Barke
What type of study was is?
Natural longitudinal study
What was the study researching the effects of?
Effects of insitutionalisation
What was wrong with the institution?
- lacked medicine/washing facility
- understaffed/crowded
- no emotional care
- no attachment figure
- subject to abuse
What were children never able to form according to Bowlby?
an internal working model
Aim ?
To investigate the effects of institutionalisation in Romanian children who spent their early lives in Romanian orphanages
How many children were involved in the study?
165 Romanian orphans
How many were adopted and before what age?
- 111 adopted before the age of 2
- 54 by the age of 4
How many British counterparts were used and when were they adopted?
- 52 British children adopted before the age of 6 months
What were the British orphan groups used as?
a control group
What was assessed?
- Physical
- Cognitive
- Social development
How were they assessed?
At regular intervals, (4, 6, 11, 15)
How did the Romanian orphans lag behind their British counterparts?
- All measures (physical, social, cognitive) + smaller + weighed less + classified as mentally retarded (lower IQ)
By what age did the Romanian orphans catch up to the British?
At age 4
What if the Romanian orphans were adopted before 6 months?
Almost all the orphans caught up to the British
What have subsequent follow ups found in those who remained in institutional care beyond 6 months?
- Orphans showed disinhibited attachments
- Problems with peer relationships
A03 Strength of longitudinal study
- researcher has good understanding of long-term consequences on development of behaviour
- w/o longitudinal studies researchers may come to invalid conclusions
- E.G. the effects of institutionalisation can be reversed if child exposed to good quality care
A03 Strength, real life application
