Bowlby (1944)

• Methodology:


  Series of case studies. 44 children at child guidance clinic in London-classified as thieves due to stealing being one of their symptoms. 31 boys & 13 girls. Ages 5-17 years. Mainly of average intelligence- 50% IQ score in range 85-114, 15 had higher IQ & 2 below 85. Each graded on seriousness of their stealing as grade I (4 kids)- IV(22 kids). Control group was 44 kids at same clinic who were also emotionally disturbed but had no stealing history. Mothers of both groups interviewed to assess case histories.
• Procedures:


  Initial examination- 2 hours. Binet scale used by psychologist to test participants' intelligence & emotional attitude of child noted. Mother interviewed by social worker about child's early psychiatry history. Psychologist & social worker report back to Bowlby (psychoanalyst). He then interviewed child & mother. Team considered school & other reports & discussed conclusions. Children continued to meet psychiatrist weekly over period of 6 months or more & mothers talked over problems with social worker. Opportunity sampling.
• What were the 6 personality types Bowlby proposed?

  Normal (2/44), depressed (9/44), circular (2/44), hyperthymic (13/44), affectionless (14/44) & schizoid (4/44).
• Define, 'normal' :


  Children whose characters appear fairly normal & stable.
• Define, 'depressed' :


  Children who have been unstable & are now in a more or less depressed state of mind.
• Define, 'circular' :


  Unstable children who show alternating depression & over-activity.
• Define, 'hyperthymic' :


  Children who tend to be constantly over-active.
• Define, 'affectionless' :


  Children characterised by lack of normal affection, shame or sense of responsibility.
• Define, 'schizoid' :


  Children who show marked schizoid or schizophrenic symptoms.
• Findings of Bowlby:


  Most thieves affectionless (14/44)- none in control group. Statistically significant-strong association between affectionless character type & stealing. 12/14 affectionless thieves had frequent, prolonged separations from their mothers (biological or foster). In the other thieves-3 had. (17 thieves had bad relationships). 27 thieves not experienced separation-17 had poor relationships with mothers-anxious, irritable, fussy, rigid, oppressive. 5 thieves' fathers openly hated them.
• Ethical issues:


  Attempt at confidentiality & no valid consent- parents consented but study released 7 years later. First name and initial of surname of each child shown in study.
• Social implications?


  Treatment should be offered to delinquents, improved care for children-orphanages/children's homes, child might be emotionally smothered by a worried mother + anxiety-gender roles & guilt. Blame to mothers. Showed importance of mother's care (at time, mother's role undervalued & divorce courts often gave custody to fathers).
• Evaluate methodology & procedures:

  Unrepresentative sample/data- all were emotionally disturbed. Researcher bias (only Bowlby categorised the kids). Detailed data through use of interviews. Recollections of history could be inaccurate-parents may have said things were better than they were (social desirability bias). No casual conclusions can be drawn as there may be other variables that caused emotional problems (relationship, not cause & effect).
• Affectionless character findings:


  14/44 affectionless. 12 experienced frequent separations from mothers. E.g, Betty I , Derek B & Kenneth W. Derek B developed diphtheria at 18 months, hospitalised for 9 months & never visited by parents.
• Conclusions:


  Early experiences vital importance in later development- damage to relationship between mother & kid affected development of superego, so reduced sense of right or wrong. Harm to healthy development caused offending. Juvenile delinquency consequence of many & complex factors (e.g, poverty, bad housing & lack of recreational facilities). Study emphasises psychoanalytic factors. Treatment should be offered (slow & difficult process). Earlier diagnosis better. Prevention preferable- prolonged separation of mum & child may be on occasion unavoidable.
• Why can't causal conclusions be drawn?

  Can't say prolonged separation caused emotional problems, as variable wasn't manipulated. Only relationships between those variables. May be other variables that caused emotional problems. E.g, discord in home may 'cause' prolonged separations & cause affectionless nature of child, or affectionless character may have caused separation (e.g, difficult child more likely placed in care).
• Rutter et al (2010):


  Compared Romanian orphans who were adopted before or after age 6 months. Those adopted later (i.e continued to lack emotional care at important time in their development) lagged behind a control group of UK kids on all measures of physical, cognitive & social development.
• What is the sensitive period in development (Rutter)?


  Lack of emotional care before age 6 months is something kids can recover from. Lack of emotional care during key periods has lasting & serious consequences: physical underdevelopment, intellectual retardation & difficulties in later relationships.