Privation and Institutionalisation

Privation and Institutionalisation

1. AO1

   • Privation- Failure to form an attachment
   • HODGES AND TIZARD
     • 65 Children carried in an institution using natural experiment using matched pairs design at under 4 months
       • Assessed at ages 4,8, and 16 through interview and self questionnaires
         • At age 4: 24 children = adopted. 15 = restored to natural home and the remaining stayed
           • Age 8 (adopted + restored) = formed attachment with parents Age 16 = adopted; still attached, restored; less attachment formed with parents
           • Age 8 & 16 (both adopted and restored) = failed to form peer relationships Rated by teachers as attention seekers,, restored = argumentative
             • ^ Effects can be reversed; can still form attachments despite previous privation. Some effects are however long lasting and suggests that early privation had negative effect on ability to form relationships (e.g: peer relationships)
   • RUTTER
     • 100 Romanian Orphans; assessed at ages 4,6 and 11
       • Found: adopted after 6 months = DISINHIBITED ATTACHMENT.
         • This suggests that long-term consequences may be less severe if children have the opportunity to form attachments. However, when children remain in privation then the consequences are likely to be severe.

2. Ao2

   • Methodolgy: Their study was a natural experiment which means IV was not controlled by the researchers. For example, parents select which child to adopt and they select those easier to get on with.. This means that children first selected for adoption might have been the less troubled children. Therefore, the child's temperament may have been a confounding variable in this study limiting the validity of the research.
   • One limitation is that of Sample Drop Off. The original sample was reduced in subsequent follow ups. Attrition = participants drop out and do not wish to continue.. For example. thos who are less well adjusted. This leaves the study with a biased sample which makes it difficult to generalise.
   • Implications for Childcare Practices. For example, (Rutter) Children who are removed when they are young tend to make better developmental progress. (Hodges and Tizard) adoption is highly successful and likely to do well when placed in a loving and supportive environment.. This results could be applied to suggest how children in care should be looked after. Both studies therefore could have useful implications for those who are involved in making decisions about childcare in care