romanian orphan studies

• what is the background?

  • former president required women to have 5 children- they couldnt afford to upkeep.
  • many ended up in orphanages with poor conditions
  • after the 1989 revolutions, many children adopted by british parents
• what was the aim of Rutters ERA study?

  tested to see what extent good care could make up for poor early experiences in institutions
• what was the procedure to rutters ERA study?

  • 165 romanian orphans adopted in britain
  • physical, cognitive and emotional developement assessed at age 4 , 6 , 11 and 15.
  • 52 british children adopted at the same time- control group
• what percentage of adoptees in rutters ERA study initially showed delayed intellectual development?

  50 %
• what were the IQ findings in rutters ERA study?

  • adopted before age of 6 months - 102
  • 6 months- 2 years - 86
  • after 2 years - 77

  These differences remained at age 16
• in the rutters ERA study, what attachment was identified when children were adopted after 6 months?

  Disinhibited attachment
• what is disinhibited attachment?

  attachment characterised by a childs lack of social boundaries and is linked to early childhood trauma or neglect
• what are the signs of disinhibited attachment?

  • attention seeking
  • clinginess
  • social behaviour directed indiscriminately towards all adults
• who was the key psychologist for the bucharest early intervention project?

  zeanan et al 2005
• what did zeanan et al do

  • assessed attachment in 95 children aged 12-31 months who spent most their lives in institutions
  • compared to control - never lived ininstituions
  • used strange situation
• what were the findings for the control group in the bucharest early intervention project?

  • securely attached - 74%
  • disinhibited attachment- less than 20%
• what were the findings to the institution group in the bucharest early intervention project

  • securely attached- 19%
  • disinhibited attachment - 44%
  • 65% had disorganised attachment
• what did rutter say about disinhibited attachment

  • an adaptation to living with multiple caregivers during the sensitive period.
  • in poor quality institutions, a child might have 50 carers, none of whom they see enough to form a secure attachment
• explain mental retardation

  • signs of this when first arrived
  • most of these adopted before 6 months of age caught up with control by age 4
• what does the fact that most adopted before 6 months and caught up suggest?

  damage to intellectual development as a result of institutionalisation can be recovered provided adoption takes place before 6 months