Maternal deprivation evaluation

• STRENGTH

  • supporting studies
  • Bifulco et al studied 250 women who had lost their mothers due to separation or death before they were 17
  • losing your mother doubles the risk of depression and anxiety, as well as findings that depression was highest when mothers had died before the child was 6
  • supporting evidence
• LIMITATION

  • several indicators of attachment
  • various attachment figures are available
  • Bowlby blamed the mother, however, Rutter explains that children can form other attachments
  • Bowlby's theory is not reliable because it does not consider other available attachments
• STRENGTH

  • support from Harlow's research into monkeys
  • monkeys reared in isolation from their mother suffered emotional and social problems in older age
  • the monkeys never formed an attachment and grew up to be aggressive
  • research support