Institutionalisation- Romanian Orphan Studies

• Rutter et al's Research: Procedure

  Followed a group of 165 Romanian orphans for several years as part of the English and Romanian Adoptee (ERA) Study. Orphans had been adopted by families in the UK, with an aim of investigating the extent of which good care could make up for poor institutional experiences. Physical, cognitive and emotional development had been assessed at ages: 4, 6, 11, 15, and 22-25 years. Control group of 52 UK adoptees.
• Rutter et al's Research: Findings

  When children first arrived, half of adoptees showed signs if delayed intellectual development, and the majority were undernourished. At age 11, adopted children showed different rates of recovery depending on age of adoption. The mean IQ for those adopted before 6 months was 102, between 6 months and 2 years was 86, and after 2 years was 77. These differences remained until age 16, Beckett et al.
• Rutter et al's Research: Findings

  Children whose adoption took place after 6 months showed signs of disinhibited attachment; symptoms included: attention-seeking, clinginess, and social behaviour directed indiscriminately towards all adults (familiar and unfamiliar). Those adopted before 6 months rarely showed this attachment type.
• Zeenah et al's Research: Procedure

  The Bucharest Early Intervention Project

  Assessing the attachment in 95 children aged 12 to 31 months who spent most of their lives in institutional care (90%). Compared to a control group of 50 children never living in an institution. Their attachment types were measured using the Strange Situation; and carers were asked about unusual social behaviour to measure the characteristics of disinhibited attachment.
• Zeenah et al's Research: Findings

  74% of the control group were classed as securely attached, compared to 19% of the institutional group. Though 44% of the institutional group had disinhibited attachment, as opposed to less than 20% of the control group.
• Effects of Institutionalism: Disinhibited Attachment 


  Children who have spent most of their lives in institution show this: equally friendly and affectionate to everyone, both familiar and unfamiliar. This is highly unusual as most children at age 2 would display stranger anxiety. Rutter explained that having multiple caregivers during the sensitive period of attachment (up to 50 carers) meant that none were seen enough to form a secure attachment with.
• Effects of Institutionalism: Intellectual Ability

  Most children showed signs of an intellectual disability when they arrived in the UK, though most adopted before 6 months caught up with the control group by age 4. It can be recovered, providing adoption takes place before 6 months when attachments form.
• AO3- Real-World Application

  Studies have improved psychologists' understanding of the effects of early institutional care and how to prevent the worst effects, Langton. This has led to improvements in conditions experienced by looked-after children. Now each homes tend to avoid having large numbers of caregivers for each child- instead they =have 1 or 2 'key workers' who play a central role in their emotional care. Meaning children in institutional care have the chance to develop normal attachments- avoiding the risk of disinhibited attachments.
• AO3- Fewer Confounding Variables

  There were many orphan studies before the Romanian orphans became available to study; many of the orphans studied prior had varying degrees of trauma, its then difficult to disentangle the effects of neglect, physical abuse and bereavement from those in institutional care. Though the majority of Romanian orphans had been handed over by loving parents who could no longer afford to keep them. Meaning results are less likely to be confounded by other negative life experiences- giving it higher internal validity.
• AO3- Counterpoint to Fewer Confounding Variables

  Studying children from Romanian orphanages may have introduced confounding variables- the quality of care was poor, with children receiving little intellectual stimulation or comfort. Meaning harmful effects seen in these findings may represent the effects of poor institutional care, not institutional care in general.
• AO3- Lack of Adult Data

  The latest data from ERA came from the children in their mid 20s; meaning we have no data to answer the vital questions about the long-term effects of early institutional care. Psychologists question whether they developed any mental health problems, or if p's could maintain adult romantic relationships and parental relationships. It will take a long time to gain this data, as it is a longitudinal study- therefore it is unknown if the late-adopted children have been able to catch up.
• AO3- Social Sensitivity

  These research studies are socially sensitive; the results show that late-adopted children typically have poor developmental outcomes. Results have been published whilst the children are growing up, meaning that parents and teachers can be made aware of their of their impacted development and treat them accordingly.

  Though much of the research has helped to benefit the future of institutionalism, or potentially institutionalised children.