Romanian orphans study

• Soviet union fell in the 1990s

  Orphans were fed, clothed and looked after but lacked sensitive care to form any emotional bond
• Studies of children raised in institutions allow for more reliable data than case-studies to be used
• Rutter et al - Longitudinal study of romanian orphans - method

  111 Romanian orphans adopted by British families

  Compared with 52 UK adoptees

  Some adopted before 6 months old some older

  Children assessed as age 4, 6 and 11
• Rutter et al - Longitudinal study of romanian orphans - Findings

  • Children younger than 6 months upon adoption had same emotional development as other UK children
  • Children older than 6 months upon adoption had insecure attachments and social problems
• Rutter et al - Longitudinal study of romanian orphans - Conclusions

  Privation can be reversed before age 6 months

  Long-term effects are more permanent after 6 months

  Maternal deprivation on its own doesn't cause permanent effects
• Rutter et al - Longitudinal study of romanian orphans - Evaluation

  • Older children results due to lack of any simulation in orphanage
  • Longitudinal study means Rutter could investigate children over a long period of time
  • Provided better insights for long term effects of maternal deprivation
  • Collected qualitative data = detailed but hard to make theories and laws from