Bowlbys theory of maternal deprivation

• Maternal deprivation - The emotional and intellectual consequences of extended separation between a child and their mother or mother substitute, when a child loses an aspect of care within the critical period
• Maternal deprivation theory

  > Bowlby suggested the idea that continued nurture from a mother or mother substitute within the first 2.5 years of life (critical period) is important for healthy psychological development

  > If a child has extended periods of separation from the mother within the critical period, where an element of care is lost then psychological damage is inevitable and irreversible
• Maternal deprivation - Intellectual damage

  > Includes cognitive impairment, such as an intellectual delay, shown by abnormally low IQ

  > Goldfarb found lower IQ in children who remained in institutions compared to those who had been fostered
• Maternal deprivation - Emotional damage

  > Affectionless psychopathy - inability to experience guilt or strong emotion for others.

  > Prevents the person developing normal relationships and is associated with criminality

  > Affectionless psychopaths also lack remorse
• Maternal deprivation AO3

  :) RTS Bowlby - 44 juvenile thieves

  > Interviewed 44 juvenile thieves to see if they had any signs of affectionless psychopathy

  > Then interviewed parents to see if there was any prolonged periods of separation

  > Found that those who had affectionless psychopathy were more likely to have experienced long periods of separation
• Maternal deprivation AO3

  :( 44 juvenile thieves is based on retrospective data

  > Relies on parents memory to recall separations

  > They could have lied about results to present themselves in a positive light or simply forgotten it

  > Reducing the internal validity
• Maternal deprivation AO3

  :) Practical applications

  > Hospitals changing visiting hours and letting parents stay overnight with their infants

  > In order to reduce the intellectual and emotional issues such as affectionless psychopathy

  > Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation is an important part of applied psychology