3.8.2 The Bucharest Early Intervention Project

• What was the Bucharest Early Intervention Project?

  A study on children's development in Romania
• What ethical concerns did the researchers address in the study?

  Informed consent and privacy protection
• Why was a randomized controlled trial used in the study?

  To reliably compare different treatments
• What was the purpose of following the children over time in the study?

  To allow for clear cause-and-effect conclusions
• What type of attachments do foster care children form?

  Secure attachments
• Why were many children abandoned in Romanian orphanages during communism?

  Due to economic hardships and government policies
• What did the Bucharest Early Intervention Project study?

  Children raised in institutions
• How did the researchers ensure ethical standards were met in the study?

  By obtaining informed consent and protecting privacy
• How do foster care children differ in their emotional development?

  They develop healthier social skills
• What kind of care did children in orphanages receive?

  Poor care and little interaction
• What are attachment disorders in children?

  Struggles to trust and connect with others
• How might a fostered child differ from a child who remained in an institution?

  A fostered child may excel in school
• Why are secure attachments important for children?

  They help manage emotions effectively
• What learning difficulties were observed in children raised in institutions?

  They had more learning difficulties
• What significant revelation did the Bucharest Project make regarding foster care?

  Early foster care can reverse negative effects
• How does the Bucharest Project's design differ from other studies?

  It allows comparison of long-term effects
• What major project studied social and emotional development in children?

  Bucharest Early Intervention Project
• How did cognitive development in institutionalized children compare to those in foster care?

  Institutionalized children scored lower on IQ tests
• How does randomization in the Bucharest Project enhance its findings?

  It sets it apart from observational studies
• What difficulties do institution-reared children often face?

  Forming strong relationships
• What were the two groups that orphaned children were assigned to in the study?

  Institutions or foster care
• What health issues were more prevalent in children raised in institutions?

  They had more health problems
• What method did the Bucharest Project use to ensure fair comparisons?

  It used randomization
• What are the implications of the Bucharest Early Intervention Project findings?

  • Supportive environments are crucial
  • Foster care promotes healthy development
  • Institutional care can lead to attachment disorders
• What was the effect of moving children from institutions to foster homes?

  Significant improvements in abilities
• What were the two main focuses of the Bucharest Early Intervention Project?

  Effects of institutionalisation and foster home benefits
• What did the Bucharest Early Intervention Project find about children’s development?

  It varies based on their living environment
• How might an institution-reared child behave towards strangers?

  They might cling to strangers
• How did researchers aim to assess the impact of orphanage care on children?

  By comparing them to children in foster homes
• What are the key findings of the Bucharest Early Intervention Project regarding physical and cognitive development?

  • Institutionalized children had slower physical development:
  • Shorter and weighed less
  • More health problems
  • Cognitive development was negatively impacted:
  • Lower IQ test scores
  • More learning difficulties
  • Moving to foster homes improved both physical and cognitive abilities
• What is the focus of the Bucharest Project?

  It studied children in institutions and foster care
• What social skills might fostered children develop compared to those in institutions?

  Better social skills and healthier relationships
• How did physical development differ between children in institutions and those in foster care?

  Institutional children were shorter and weighed less
• Why is the Bucharest Project considered special?

  It uniquely tested early intervention effects
• When did the Bucharest Early Intervention Project take place?

  After communism fell
• What key methods were used for data collection in the study?

  Child development tests, behavioral observations, interviews
• What common finding do many studies report about institutional life?

  It slows physical, cognitive, and social development
• What was the main purpose of the Bucharest Early Intervention Project?

  To investigate effects of early institutionalisation
• What are the long-term impacts of early intervention on physical development?

  • Healthier and stronger children
  • Better overall physical health compared to those in institutions
• What are the effects of early intervention on social-emotional well-being?

  • Development of secure attachments
  • Better social skills
  • Increased likelihood of forming healthy relationships
  • Improved emotional management