institutionalization

• Institutional care

  refers to situations where children spend part of their childhood in a hospital, an orphanage or a residential children’s home.
• Institutionalisation

  the adverse effects on children of being placed in an institution; these effects can influence cognitive and social development.​
• The effects of institutionalisation depend to a large extent on the quality of emotional care provided in the institution. What is a study that shows this?

  Dontas et al., (1985) found that when allocated a specific member of staff to care for them and form an emotional bond with the child that they would soon form attachments when adopted, to their adoptive parents. Their play also showed none of the apparent effects of institutionalisation that Hodge’s and Tizard showed.​
• One effect of institutionalisation is disinhibited attachment-

  Such children tend to be equally friendly and affectionate towards people they know well or total strangers. This may be an adaptation to multiple caregivers.
• one effect of institutionalisation is a damage to intellectual development

  Institutionalised children often show signs of intellectual disability. This effect is not as pronounced if the children are adopted before 6 months of age.