Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation

• Bowlby proposed the theory of maternal deprivation:

  • the emotional and intellectual consequences of prolonged separation between a child and their mother/mother substitute
  • the continuous care from a mother is essential for normal psychological development
• John Bowlby (1951) argued that maternal deprivation during a critical period of early childhood (especially within the first 2-3 years of life) can have long-term negative effects on a child’s psychological development. He distinguished between separation (temporary absence of the primary caregiver) and deprivation (a long-term or permanent loss of the caregiver).
• Bowlby proposed that there is a critical period for attachment development, which is around the first 2-3 years (30 months) of life, during which continuous care from a primary caregiver is essential for healthy psychological development.
• If a child experiences prolonged separation from their mother or lacks a consistent, loving caregiver during the critical period, the effects are likely to be severe and irreversible.
• The key consequences of maternal deprivation according to Bowlby:

  • affectionless psychopathy
  • intellectual retardation
  • emotional problems
• Affectionless psychopathy is a consequence of maternal deprivation which is characterised as a lack of empathy, guilt, or concern for others, often linked to criminal or antisocial behaviour.
• Intellectual retardation is a consequence of maternal deprivation which is characterised as a lower IQ or cognitive deficits, particularly if the child had been deprived of a stimulating environment during the critical period.

  • Goldfinch (1947) found lower IQ in children who had remained in institutions as opposed to those who were fostered and thus had a higher standard of emotional care.
• Emotional problems is a consequence of maternal deprivation and it is characterised as an increased likelihood of depression, anxiety, or difficulties forming relationships (sometimes referred to as attachment disorders).
• Bowlby's 44 Thieves study aimed to investigate whether prolonged early separations from the primary caregiver were associated with emotional problems and delinquency, specifically affectionless psychopathy.
• Bowlby's 44 Thieves study procedure:

  • studied 88 children from the London Child Guidance Clinic, all of whom had been referred due to behavioural problems.
  • 44 of the children were identified as "thieves" because they had a history of stealing.
  • The other 44 children served as a control group who had emotional problems but had not engaged in criminal behaviour.
  • Each child and their family were interviewed to determine their early life experiences, particularly any separations from their mothers during the first five years of life.
• Bowlby's 44 Thieves study findings:

  • Bowlby found that 14 of the 44 thieves were diagnosed as affectionless psychopaths - showed no guilt or empathy for others and lacked close emotional ties.
  • Out of these 14 affectionless psychopaths, 12 had experienced prolonged separations from their mothers during the critical period.
  • In contrast, only 2 out of the control group (those without delinquent behaviour) had experienced similar separations, and none of them were diagnosed as affectionless psychopaths.
• A weakness of Bowlby's theory of maternal deprivation is its failure to distinguish between privation and deprivation. Rutter believed that Bowlby had mixed the concepts of deprivation (a long-term/permanent loss of a caregiver) and privation (no attachment formed at all), and argued that Bowlby overstated the effects of deprivation. This limits Bowlby's theory as it fails to highlight the differences between deprivation and privation, so it lacks clarity when explaining the consequences of both. Therefore, lowering the validity of the theory.
• A strength is the research support for the long-term effects. Bifulco et al studied women who had experienced separation from their mothers either due to death or temporary separation of more than a year. They found that 25% of the sample later experienced depression/anxiety disorder, compared to 15% in the control group (no separation). Also, it was found that mental health disorders were more likely for sampled women who had experienced separation before the age of six. This supports Bowlby's theory: it shows how deprivation during the critical period can hinder emotional development.
• A strength of Bowlby's theory is that it has real-life applications. The theory had a significant impact on childcare practices e.g., Bowlby's research and Robertson's influenced changes in hospital policies where children's visiting hours increased to limit separation and emotional distress. Robertson observed 2 y.o Laura who expressed distress while separated from her mother during her hospital stay. This strengthens the theory: it highlights how extended periods of separation can lead to emotional problems, so this can be applied to institutions to improve children's well-being.
• A criticism of Bowlby's theory of maternal deprivation is contradictory research. Bowlby suggested that the critical period for attachment is the first 2.5 years of life, after which the damage caused by deprivation would be irreversible. However, later research, such as Rutter’s Romanian orphan studies, challenges this idea. Rutter found that many children who were severely deprived early in life could recover if placed in a loving, supportive environment. This suggests that the effects of early deprivation may not be as permanent as Bowlby proposed, lowering the validity of the explanation.