Outline And Evaluate The Effects Of Institutionalisation In Attachment
Para 1:
Institutionalisation concerns the effects on attachment and development of care provided by
orphanages and residential children’s homes
Bowlby’s maternal deprivation theory was largely based on research conducted on
institutionalised children
- Rutter assessed the long term effects of institutionalisation in a study conducted in 2011
- It was a longitudinal study that followed 165 Romanian orphans adopted in Britain.
- At ages 4,6,11 and 15 cognitive and emotional development was assessed
- 52 British children adopted at the same time were a control group
1) Rutter found that initially, most Romanian orphans were undernourished and underweight,
something that the control group did not show
2) The younger the age of adoption, the higher the IQ score
3) Adopted after 6months = disinhibited attachment (attention-seeking behaviour, clinginess
and inappropriate familiarity towards strangers)
4) 11 Years old = the control group and those adopted before 6months had no developmental
delay
5) 11 Years old = those adopted between 6months and 2yrs had an average IQ of 86
6) 11 Years old = those adopted after the age of 2yrs had an average IQ of 77
Conclusion: institutionalisation= negative effects on physical, emotional and cognitive
development BUT can be overcome by early sensitive, nurturing care (adoption)
Para 2:
Chugani in 2011 also conducted a study where PET scans were administered to 10 Romanian
orphans and compares them to 17 normal adults and 7 children
• The Romanian orphans had decreased activity in the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex and
amygdala - all these are responsible for LTM, Spatial navigation, behavioural disinhibition
(hyperactivity) and fear perceiving/responses
Conclusion: early deprivation stress causes dysfunction in these brain areas - may be linked
to long term cognitive and behavioural problems such as planning behaviour, decision
making and personality expression
Para 3:
Negative effects of institutionalisation can be physical, cognitive or emotional
Physical = Small body size and head circumference, underweight, hyperactive and
malnourished
Cognitive = Less activity in brain areas, mental retardation (Low IQ)
Emotional = Poor parenting (women reared in these situations more likely to experience
extreme parenting difficulties - their children usually in care, disinhibited attachment (equally
friendly and affectionate to familiar people and strangers)
Para 1:
Institutionalisation concerns the effects on attachment and development of care provided by
orphanages and residential children’s homes
Bowlby’s maternal deprivation theory was largely based on research conducted on
institutionalised children
- Rutter assessed the long term effects of institutionalisation in a study conducted in 2011
- It was a longitudinal study that followed 165 Romanian orphans adopted in Britain.
- At ages 4,6,11 and 15 cognitive and emotional development was assessed
- 52 British children adopted at the same time were a control group
1) Rutter found that initially, most Romanian orphans were undernourished and underweight,
something that the control group did not show
2) The younger the age of adoption, the higher the IQ score
3) Adopted after 6months = disinhibited attachment (attention-seeking behaviour, clinginess
and inappropriate familiarity towards strangers)
4) 11 Years old = the control group and those adopted before 6months had no developmental
delay
5) 11 Years old = those adopted between 6months and 2yrs had an average IQ of 86
6) 11 Years old = those adopted after the age of 2yrs had an average IQ of 77
Conclusion: institutionalisation= negative effects on physical, emotional and cognitive
development BUT can be overcome by early sensitive, nurturing care (adoption)
Para 2:
Chugani in 2011 also conducted a study where PET scans were administered to 10 Romanian
orphans and compares them to 17 normal adults and 7 children
• The Romanian orphans had decreased activity in the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex and
amygdala - all these are responsible for LTM, Spatial navigation, behavioural disinhibition
(hyperactivity) and fear perceiving/responses
Conclusion: early deprivation stress causes dysfunction in these brain areas - may be linked
to long term cognitive and behavioural problems such as planning behaviour, decision
making and personality expression
Para 3:
Negative effects of institutionalisation can be physical, cognitive or emotional
Physical = Small body size and head circumference, underweight, hyperactive and
malnourished
Cognitive = Less activity in brain areas, mental retardation (Low IQ)
Emotional = Poor parenting (women reared in these situations more likely to experience
extreme parenting difficulties - their children usually in care, disinhibited attachment (equally
friendly and affectionate to familiar people and strangers)
