Romanian Orphans Study - Rutter

Question 1

Define institutionalisation

Answer 1

A term for the effects of living in an institutional setting. The term ‘institution’ refers to a place like a hospital or orphanage where children live for long continuous periods of time. In such places there is often very little emotional care provided. In attachment research we are interested in the effects of institutional care on childrens attachment and subsequent development

Question 2

describe Rutter 2007

Answer 2

Rutter et al are carrying out a longitudinal study comparing Romanian orhpans who were adopted by UK families with UK adoptees who were placed with families before they were sixth months of age.

58 babies were adopted before they were 6 months old, 59 babies were adopted between 6-24months old and 48 children were adopted between 2 -4 years old. At the time of adoption half the Romanian orphans were severly malnourished.

Children were followed up aged 4yrs, 6yrs and 11yrs using parental reports, home observations by a researcher and teacher and parent reports.

(independant variable - the age of the children at adoption)
(dependant variable - the emotional development, IQ, type of attachment)

Question 3

What are the findings of Rutter 2007

Answer 3

Findings showed that the Romanian children showed more attention seeking behaviours and were not selective in their social relationships compared to UK adoptees. This style of attachments, known as disinhibited attachment, was rarely seen in UK adoptees. The mean IQ of children adopted before 6 months was 102, before 2 years was 86 and after 2 years was 77. Those differences in IQ remained at the age of 16.

Question 4

What can be concluded from Rutter 2007 study

Answer 4

• The later the adoption teh higher the decrease in IQ.
• The children adopted at a young age benefit more greatly than the children adopted at an older age
• The negative effects of institutionalisation can be overcome by a responsive and loving enviroment

Question 5

weaknesses

Evaluate Rutter 2007

Answer 5

• weren’t completely isolated in cots next to each other
• Romanian orphanages aren’t typical they are quite extreme so the results can’t be generalised.

Question 6

strength - app

Evaluate Rutter 2007

Answer 6

It has enhanced out understanding of the effects of institutionalisation. Such resutls have led to improvements in the way children are cared for in institutions. eg. orphanages and carehomes try to avoid having large numbers of caregivers for each child and instead ensure that a much smaller number such as 2 play a entral role for the child. Having a key worker means that children have the chance to develop normal attachments and avoid disinhibited attachment.

Question 7

strength - method

Evaluate Rutter 2007

Answer 7

There are fewer extraneous variables that other orphan studies. It was hard to observe the effects of institutionalisation in isolation because the children were dealing with multiple factores which functioned as confounding participant variables. In the case of the romanian orphans it has be possible to study institutionalisation without these, whcih increases its internal validity

Question 8

Define disihibited attachment

Answer 8

is a typical effect of spening time in an institution. They are equally friendly and affectionate towards people they know well or who are strangers. This is highly unusual behaviour as most children in their second year show stranger anxiety.
Rutter explains it as an adaption to living with multiple caregivers during the sensitive period.

Question 9

list

What are the effects of institutionalisation

Answer 9

Low IQ
poor social skills
lack of internal working model
disinhibited attachment

Question 10

Effect of instituationalisation - low IQ

Answer 10

One effect of institutionalisation is Low IQ. This is where children score low on an intelligence test. According to Rutter those infants who were adopted after 2 years had a lower IQ at ages 11 and 16 than children adopted before 6 months. This suggests that low IQ is an effect of institutionalisation

Question 11

effect of institutionalisation - poor social skills

Answer 11

another effect of institutionalisation is poor social skills. This is where the children struggle to keep rules and form lasting relationships. Accoring to Zeanah 2005 who found 74% of his control group was securely attached in the strange situation, however only 19% of the institutional group were securely attached. This suggests that poor social skills is an effect of institutionalisation.