Maternal deprivation - John Bowlby

• What were Bowlby's two theories?

  The benefits of forming an attachment

  Consequences of loss of maternal care
• Define maternal deprivation

  To lose the emotional care provided by the primary caregiver
• What is the value of maternal care concept?

  Children need a warm, intimate and continuous relationship with mother
• What did Bowlby propose was the critical period?

  The first two and a half years of an infants life where they can attach to their mother
• What are the long term consequences of md?

  Poor intellectual development

  Emotional maladjustment

  Mental health issues

  (Proven in juvenile criminal study)
• Method of juvenile thieves study - 1944


  Analysed children's case files at centre

  88 children in total

  44 thieves, 44 disturbed

  Children and families both interviewed
• Statistics of affectionless psychopaths

  14 out of 44 of the thieves were considered affectionless psychopaths
• Statistics of affectionless psychopaths

  2 out of 44 disturbed individuals were considered affectionless psychopaths
• Out of the 14 that stole and were affectionless psychopaths

  12 were maternally deprived
• Bowlby's conclusion


  Maternal deprivation increases the risk of creating affectionless psychopaths