romanian orphans

Question 1

history of romanian orphans

Answer 1

• problem began under communist rule, who banned abortion and denied access to contraception
• many romanians abandoned their newborn children, leaving thousands to suffer at under- funder, state-nun orphanages
• 1989, western world became aware of issues, realised many children institutionalised
  more than 100000 orphans in 600 state run orphanages
• children spent most of the day in cribs with very little stimulation and malnourished

Question 2

institutionalised

Answer 2

behaviour patterns of children who have been raised outside outside of the family home in an institution like an orphanage or a residential childrens home

Question 3

rutters study

Answer 3

• studied romanian orphans, who were adopted by the british parents who had been placed in orphanages aged 1-2 weeks, with minimal adult contact
• longitudinal study and natural experiment
• assessed at age 4,6,11 and 21
• 1 group- 58 babies adopted before 6 months
• 1 group- 59 babies adopted between 6 -24 months
• 1 group- 48 babies adopted between 2-4 years

Question 4

findings of rutters study

Answer 4

• first arrived in uk, they were malnourished
• 11 year olds- correlation between rate of recovery and age of adoption
• earlier the adoption, higher their mean iq
• difference between those who were adopted befpre 6 months an those after
• if adopted after 6 months, signs of disinhibited attachment
• resulted in attention seeking and physical, cognitive and social developmental delay

Question 5

disinhibited attachment

Answer 5

rare, infant is as friendly and open to strangers as they are to their caregiver
- rutter suggests, because orphans have multiple caregivers in critical period

Question 6

zeanah et al study

Answer 6

used 95 children who were 12-31 months
attachment asses on children who spent most of their lives in an institution
control group- 50 children who had never lived in an institution
strange situation was used on these children
carers asked is the child had any unusual behaviours

Question 7

findings of zeanah et al

Answer 7

• 74% of the control group were securely attached (the norm)
• 19% of the institutional group were in this category ( securely attached)
• 65% of this group were classed as having a disinhibited attachment

Question 8

institutionalism and dwarfism

Answer 8

• children who are institutionalised are usually small
• lack of emotional care is the cause
• garner atudied a case study of girl who had been fed through a tube
• her mum would never cuddle her
• 8 months old - she was withdrawn and physically stunted
• she went into hospital and she thrived off the attention and then returned to ‘normal’
• conclusion- lack of emotional care could affect growth