Institutionalisation

• Aim: To investigate whether good quality emotional care could compensate for lack of attachment in infancy
• Sample: 165 Romanian children. 111 were adopted from institutions before the age of 2 and 54 were adopted by the age of 4
• Procedure: This natural experiment is an ongoing longitudinal study (it is still being carried out). The Romanian adopted children are being compared to 52 British children adopted by the age of 6 months. The children are tested for physical, social and cognitive development at the ages of 4, 6, 11, 15 using interviews, observations and medical/school records
• Findings (so far): At the time of adoption, the Romanian children were behind the British children in all three aspects. They were physically smaller, and cognitively classified as mentally retarded
• By 4, most of the Romanian children who had been adopted before the age of 6 months had caught up with the British children
• 2 key effects of institutionalisation: Many of the children adopted after the age of 6 months showed disinhibited attachment and had difficulties with peer relationships
• The Bucharest Early Intervention Project (BEIP) was conducted by Zeanah et al in 2005
• Bucharest -

  The attachment type was assessed Using the Strange Situation in 95 children aged between 12-30 months who had spent an average of 90% of their life in an institution
• Bucharest - Control group

  • 50 children who had spent their life in a "normal family"
• B findings- Securely attached

  74% of the control group was found to be securely attached
• B findings- Disinhibited attachment

  44% of the institutionalised group were classified as having disinhibited attachment
• B findings-Disorganised attachment

  65% of the institutionalised group were classified as having disorganised attachment
• B Institutionalised group

  Had a higher percentage of disinhibited and disorganised attachment compared to the control group
• B- The research highlights the importance of secure attachment in children's social and intellectual development
• B The research is important as it can be used to inform policy and practice in relation to the care of young children in institutions
• The research needs to be replicated to ensure its validity and reliability