AO3

• A limitation regards the evidence used that this theory is based on. Bowlby conducted interviews with a sample, which are a form of self-report technique. It may be the case that demand characteristics were shown during those interviews, which may lower the validity of the findings. Similar, Bowlby conducted these interviews himself which may indicate that the findings are subject to investigator effects. He knew which children had or had not been separated from their mothers, so he may have changed his interview style or interpretation of the findings in order to fit his hypothesis. this is a limitation because the research may be lacking in scientific quality and would therefore question the validity of this theory altogether.
• Further limitation is the emphasis Bowlby placed on the maternal care that children should receive. Research into the role of the father suggests it is equally as important as the mother. For example, Gottman and Katz found that involved fathers had children who were more popular, less aggressive and had higher quality friendships which implies they had adequate levels of emotional reasoning. This suggests that the father is able to contribute towards a child's emotional development. This limits the theory of maternal deprivation because, providing that the child who is deprived of the mother has an involved father, the child may not suffer the damage that this theory suggests.
• Further limitation is that they may have been too vague. Other researchers argue there is a big difference between deprivation and privation and the influence this can have on development. He classified children in his study as being separated from their mother if they had prolonged period of separation from her. Bowlby should have specified what constituted prolonged separation. If the child did not have any opportunity to develop an attachment during the critical period, then they would have experienced privation rather than deprivation. Rutter's research suggests that the largest issues with emotional development are usually due to privation as opposed to deprivation. So Bowlby may have incorrectly been classifying the children as deprived. This is therefore a limitation because it would question the validity of his work.
• A key real-life application of maternal deprivation theory is in ensuring that parents stay with hospitalized children. Bowlby’s theory emphasizes the importance of maternal care during the critical period of development, suggesting that separation from a primary caregiver can lead to emotional and intellectual harm. This has influenced hospital policies, where many now allow parents to stay with their children during hospital stays to minimize the risk of maternal deprivation. By recognizing the potential harm of separation, hospitals aim to provide a more supportive environment, where the child’s emotional and developmental needs are prioritized. This application supports Bowlby’s view that maintaining close caregiver contact is essential for a child’s well-being, especially during times of stress or medical treatment.