bowlby-maternal deprivation

• maternal deprivation

  being separated from a mother in early childhood and has serious consequences. Attachment is disrupted/ broken
• critical period

  • child must form a attachment in first 2.5 years
  • If experiences separation may cause psychological damage
  • risk up to 5 years if no substitute available
• Long term consequences

  Bowlby believed that the effects separation are severe and irreversible if they occur during this critical period. Deprivation has effects on intellectual, social and emotional development

  emotional development

  • affectionless psychopathy is the inability to feel guilt, empathy or remorse or form strong emotions towards others=criminality

  delinquency

  • behavioural problems in adolescence

  intellectual development

  • delayed intellectual development (low IQ)

  inability to form or sustain future relationships

  • poor internal working model (poor template for relationships)
  • inability to be a good parent themselves
  • inability to form friendships and romantic relationships (continuity hypothesis)
• Bowlby (1944) the 44 thieves study

  Procedure:

  • 2 groups
  • group one= 44 juveniles (children), referred to Bowlby because of theft
  • group two= 44 juveniles (children), referred to Bowlby because of emotional problems
  • both groups were matched in terms of age and IQ to stop those being extraneous variables
  • the children and families were interviewed and assessed emotionally and to find out if they had experienced maternal deprivation

  Findings:

  • 14 (32%) of the 44 thieves were described as affectionless psychopaths
  • 12/14 (86%) had experienced maternal deprivation under 2
  • 2 in the control group experienced maternal deprivation
  • maternal deprivation=psychopathy
• research support for 44 thieves study

  • Goldfarb (1955)
  • 30 orphans. 6 were fostered age 4 months, others remained in the orphanage.
  • At age 12, those fostered at 4 months had an average IQ of 96, those who remained in the orphanage had an IQ of 68.
  • Supports maternal deprivation can influence intellectual development.
  • Harlow (1958)
  • Monkeys reared in isolation from their mother experienced emotional and social problems – were aggressive.
  • Consequences are long term.
• maternal deprivation evaluation 1

  P Evidence that supports MDH is flawed.

  E Bowlby’s carried out the interviews and the assessments for affectionless psychopathy – biased.

  E Goldfarb’s (1947) research has confounding variables - children had experienced early trauma and institutional care as well as separation.

  L Evidence that supports the theory has issues.

  Levy at al (2003) separated baby rats from their mother for as little as a day and this had an effect on their social development.
• maternal deprivation evaluation 2

  P Separation could be physical or emotional.

  E A mother who is physically present but depressed may not be able to provide emotional care.

  E Marian Radke-Yarrow et al. (1985) 55% mothers who were severely depressed had children who were insecurely attached, compared with 29% who were not depressed.

  L Emotional and/or physical separation can lead to problems.
• maternal deprivation evaluation 3

  P Evidence supports maternal deprivation can have long term effects.

  Bifulco et al. (1992) 25% of women who experienced separation from their mothers because of death or separation of more than 1-year experienced depression compared with 15% who had no separation.

  E Mental health problems were greater in women whose loss occurred before age of six, supporting Bowlby's notion of a critical period.

  L Maternal deprivation has long term effects.
• maternal deprivation evaluation 4

  P The way children are cared for in hospital has changed because of Bowlby.

  E Before Bowlby's research children were separated from parents when they spent time in hospital. Visiting was discouraged or even forbidden.

  E Robertson (1952) filmed a two-year old girl called Laura during the eight-day pe-riod she was in hospital. She is seen to be frequently distressed and begs to go home.

  L Bowlby and Robertson's work led to a major social change in the way that children were cared for in hospitals.
• maternal deprivation evaluation 5

  P Another limitation of Bowlby’s maternal deprivation theory is his confusion between deprivation and privation.

  E Rutter (1981) suggests there is an important distinction between deprivation and privation. Deprivation refers to the loss of an attachment after it has been devel-oped.

  E Privation is the failure to form an attachment in the first place (e.g., child brought up in an institution).

  L Rutter suggests privation causes severe long-term consequences and is more severe. Rutter’s criticism the effects of deprivation are exaggerated.
• maternal deprivation evaluation 6

  P Not all children are affected by the emotional disruption in the same way.

  E Barrett (1977) securely attached children may sometimes cope, whereas insecurely attached children become distressed.

  E Bowlby et al., (1956) children being treated for TB (stayed in hospital) 63% had problems.

  L Some children are better able to deal with separation.
• economic implications/ influence of bowlbys theory

  institutional care

  • mental wellbeing is important- not just food/warmth
  • key workers/ small staff- child ratios
  • increases cost of institution

  hospital visiting hours

  • parents encouraged to spend time with children in the hospital
  • cost the economy- parents may take time off of work and NHS (providing facilities for parent)

  working mothers

  • 1950s women stay home- not contributing to the economy
  • recent research- fathers can be the primary caregiver/ children form multiple attachments (women can go to work)

  government incentives

  • some governments offer more financial support/ maternity/ parental leave
  • sweden offers 480 days parental leave
  • government costs- benefits