Attachment: Deprivation and Institutionalisation

Attachment: Deprivation and Institutionalisation

1. Deprivation occurs when the attachment bond/emotional care is formed but broken later

2. Value of maternal care

   • Assumption of good standards of physical care & adequate food being enough were removed
   • Care of mother and/or family was considered important
   • Warm, intimate and continuous relationships were key
   • Mother love was as important as vitamins

3. Critical period

   • Emotional disturbance is only an issue if
     • Separations take place before 2 1/2
     • No substitute mother figure
   • Risk continues until the age of 5
   • Substitutes can be male or female
   • Separation alone is not deprivation if love/emotional warmth is supplied by another

4. Evaluation

   • Physical separation: less important than psychological separation
   • Good real world application based on post war separations
   • Hospitals routinely excluded families and mothers from visiting sick children