The Bowlby Study - Describe Flashcards
What did the study consist of?
- A series of case studies.
- A control group was used.
Describe the group of thieves.
- 44 children who attended a child guidance clinic.
- Sample consisted of 31 boys and 13 girls.
- Between the ages of 5-17. Over half were under the age of 11.
- Only a few were charged in court as many were too young.
- They were mainly of average intelligence.
How were the thieves graded?
- In terms of seriousness.
- Grade 4 thieves had been stealing for a long time. There was 22.
- Grade 1 thieves only committed one theft. There was 4.
Describe the control group.
- 44 children who were from the same clinic, but hadn’t stolen.
- Of similar age, gender and IQ.
- Like the thieves, they were emotionally disturbed.
Why were their mothers interviewed?
To assess the case histories of the children.
How was the sample obtained?
Opportunity sampling.
What happened on arrival to the clinic?
- Each child was given mental tests to assess their intelligence.
- The psychologist who conducted this also noted the emotional attitude of the child.
Who did the social worker interview?
The child’s mother about the child’s psychiatric history.
Who did the psychologist and social worker report to?
The psychiatrist, Bowlby, who then interviewed the child and the mother.
What else was considered and discussed in conclusions?
School and other reviews.
What often continued over 6 months or more?
- Many further interviews were arranged in which the child was given therapy by the psychiatrist.
- At the same time, the mother spoke about her problems with the social worker.
How many main personality types were found and what are they?
There were 6 main personality types in the sample:
- Normal = 2 (showed instability)
- Depressed = 9
- Circular = 2
- Hyperthymic = 13
- Affectionless = 14
- Schizoid = 4
What would happen to the other 42 thieves without treatment?
They would develop neurotic or psychotic symptoms later in life.
How many thieves experienced prolonged separation from their mothers?
- 40% of thieves.
- 5% of the control group.
Of those who experienced prolonged separation, how many were classified as ‘affectionless’?
- 14
- 12 experienced frequent separation during the first 5 years of childhood.
- 13 of the affectionless committed grade 4 crimes.
