BOWLBYS THEORY OF MATERNAL DEPRIVATION

• Bowlby developed his theory of maternal deprivation before this theory of attachment.

  The continual presence of nurture from a mother or mother-substitute is essential for normal psychological development (both emotional and intellectual).
• Bowlby argued that disruption of the attachment bond, even in short term, results in serious and permanent damage to a child’s emotional, social and intellectual development.

  The critical period – if a child is separated during the first 30 months of life, in the absence of a substitute carer, so deprivation of emotional care, psychological damage was inevitable.
• Continued emotional care 


  Continuous emotional (maternal) care from a mother or mother-substitute is necessary for normal emotional and intellectual development.
• Separation may lead to maternal deprivation

  Bowlby believed that mother-love in infancy is ‘as important for mental health as are vitamins and proteins for physical health’.
• Separation is different from deprivation

  • separation means the child not being physically in the presence of the primary attachment figure.
  • Deprivation means losing emotional care as a result the separation. 

  Deprivation can be avoided if alternative emotional care is offered, thus separation doesn’t always cause deprivation.
• Critical period of 2.5 years 


  If a child is separated from their mother (without substitute emotional care) for an extended time during the first 2.5 years, the psychological damage is inevitable. There is a continuing risk up to the age of 5. 
• Intellectual development: lower IQ

  If a child is deprived of maternal care for too long during the critical period this may lead to mental retardation.

  GOLDFARB (1947) found lower IQs in children from institutions compared to fostered children. 
• Emotional development: affectionless psychopathy 


  Lack of emotional care may also lead to affectionless psychopathy - the inability to experience guilt or strong emotion towards others. This prevents the person developing normal relationships and is associated with criminality. 
• BOWLBY (1944) 44 THIEVES STUDY:

  Procedure

  The sample in the study was 44 delinquent teenages accused of stealing.

  All ‘thieves’ were interviewed for signs of affectionless psychopathy: characterised by a lack of affection, guilt and empathy.

  Families were also interviewed to establish any prolonged separations from mothers.
• BOWLBY (1944) 44 THIEVES STUDY:

  Findings and conclusions

  14/44 thieves could be described as affectionless psychopaths.

  12 of these had experienced prolonged separation from their mothers in the first 2 years of their lives. 

  In contrast only 5 of the remaining 30 ‘thieves’ had experienced separations. This suggests prolonged early separation / deprivation caused affectionless psychopathy.