Rutter’s Institutionalisation Study Flashcards
What were the origins of Rutter’ study?
Romania had an orphan problem that started under the Communist Rule of Nicolae Ceausescu, who banned abortion and denied contraception access. This happened at the time of severe food and energy shortages.
Because of this, many Romanians had begun to abandon their newborn children because they couldn’t take care of them. This left those children to suffer at under-funded, state-run orphanages.
What did Rutter do?
He studied 165 Romanian children, who spent their early lives in Romanian Institutions. -> 111 of these were adopted before the age of two years and 54 were adopted by the age of four.
And he tested them at certain intervals in their lives. -> 4, 6, 11, 15 years old. He wanted to assess their psychical, cognitive and emotional development.
Who did he compare his findings with?
52 British Children adopted in the UK before the Age of Six.
What were Rutter’s results?
Time of Adoption -> Romanian orphans lagged behind the British Orphans on all measures of physical, cognitive and social development.
AGE OF SIX MONTHS -> Almost all Romanian Orphans had caught up with the British orphans.
AGE OF FOUR -> Some of the Romanian Orphans had caught up to the British Orphans.
Many of the orphans adopted after six months showed Disinhibited Attachments and Had problems with peer relationships.
What are the Effects of Institutionalisation?
Disinhibited Attachments -> Children displayed clingy, attention-seeking behaviour and attached to everyone.
Physical Underdevelopment -> Children in Institutions are usually physically smaller.
Intellectual Under Functioning -> Cognitive development is affected by emotional deprivation.
Poor Parenting -> Harlow’s research showed how being institutionalised can lead to poor parenting in the future.
