Institutionalisation

Institutionalisation

1. Failure to form attachment

   • Likely to experience privation

2. Key study: Hodges and Tizard

   • 65 British Children
     • Early life - Adolescence
     • Placed in one institution aged less than four months old
     • Not yet formed attachments
     • Policy in institution: Caregivers couldn't form attachments
     • Early emotional privation (Lack of attachment)
     • Assessed at regular intervals up to the age of 16
       • Most were ex-institutional
         • 'Restored' to original families
           • Less likely to form attachment to mother
         • Adopted
           • Closely attached to their parents as much as control group
           • Both groups had problems with peers
             • More likely to be more aggressive, less liked, bullies, less likely to have a special friend, a sign of Disinhibited Attachment (sought more attention from adults
   • Found: 70% described as 'not being able to care deeply about anyone'
   • Findings suggest early privation = negative effect on ability to form relationships, even when given subsequent emotional care

3. Romanian Orphanages

   • Rutter et al (2007)
     • 100 Romanian Orphans
       • Assesed at four, six and eleven
         • Before 6 months
           • 'Normal' emotional development
         • After 6 months
           • Disinhibited attachments and problems with peers