the effects of institutionalisation

• What is meant by institutionalisation in the context of attachment theory?

  Institutionalisation refers to children being raised in care homes, such as orphanages, where they have minimal or no contact with family members.
• What is privation, and how does it relate to institutionalisation?

  Privation refers to the failure to form an attachment, which can occur in children who experience institutionalisation, where they lack consistent caregiving relationships.
• What was the aim of Rutter et al.'s (2007) longitudinal study regarding institutionalisation?

  Rutter et al. aimed to investigate the long-term effects of institutional care on children, particularly focusing on Romanian orphans who were adopted by UK families compared to UK-born adoptees.
• How did Rutter et al. categorise the Romanian adoptees for comparison in their study?

  Rutter et al. categorised the Romanian adoptees into two groups based on the age at adoption: those adopted before 6 months of age and those adopted between 6 and 24 months of age.
• What were the findings regarding IQ and attachment in the Romanian adoptees compared to UK-born adoptees?

  Romanian adoptees who were adopted before 6 months showed catch-up growth in IQ by age 4, while those adopted after 6 months had persistent deficits in IQ. Additionally, those adopted after 6 months were more likely to exhibit disinhibited attachment behaviors at age 6 and 11.
• How did Rutter interpret the long-term effects of institutionalisation and privation?

  Rutter concluded that while institutionalisation and privation could have long-term effects, particularly for late adoptees, these effects could be minimised with early adoption and additional support.
• What are some strengths of Rutter et al.'s study?

  The study spanned a long period and utilised various measures to assess children's development, providing rich and detailed data. Additionally, it led to positive changes in institutional care and adoption practices.
• What are some criticisms of Rutter et al.'s study?

  One criticism is the possibility of attrition in longitudinal studies, leading to biased samples. Additionally, as a natural experiment, causation cannot be inferred, and other factors besides institutionalisation may influence attachment outcomes.