Romanian Orphan Studies- Institutionalisation

    Cards (4)

    • P- A weakness of these research studies is that they don't account for individual differences.
      E- For instance, some research suggests that infants who don't form a primary attachment within the sensitive period are unable to recover, but this is not true for all children. Some children are not as significantly affected as others, and Rutter had suggested this might be because some of the children received special attention in the institutions (because they smiled more) and so did have some early attachment experiences.
      E- Shows that there is not a set trend, always extraneous variables.
    • P- Strength, applications to improve children's lives.
      E- The Romanian orphan research indicates the importance of early adoption and how this can reduce the affects of institutionalisation. In the past, mothers considering adoption were encouraged to nurse the baby for a significant time period, but this resulted in the sensitive period being missed and the baby finding it difficult to form secure attachments. Now, they are encouraged to be adopted within the first week, allowing for secure attachments with adoptive families.
      E- There is external validity, has positive outcomes.
    • P- Another strength of the research into institutionalisation is that they are longitudinal studies.
      E- Although they do take a lot of planning and waiting for significant results, the benefits of conducting them are large. Without them, we may assume that institutional care only leads to significant deficits in development, however some of these studies show that the effects can disappear if sufficient time and quality care is given.
      E- This shows that the correct research method has been used to give reliable and appropriate evidence.
    • Issues and Debates link
      Emotional deprivation is only one factor in inducing the effects of institutionalisation, therefore it is reductionist to assume that this caused the effects seen in the children.
      There was also poor physical conditions which would impact their development, also a lack of cognitive stimulation which would slow down cognitive functioning.