A01 Bowlby's Theory Of Maternal Deprivation

• Theory of maternal deprivation

  Idea that continual presence of nurture from a mother/mother-substitute is an essential for normal psychological development of babies/toddlers, emotionally and intellectually
• Bowlby's opinion on mother-love


  'Mother-love in infancy and childhood is as important for mental health as are vitamins/proteins for physical health
• Separation from mother


  Being separated from mother in early childhood has dire consequences according to Bowlby
• Separation vs deprivation


  Separation is when the child is not being in the presence of primary attachment figure. An issue is created when child is deprived meaning they lose an element of care
• Length of separations


  Brief separations, especially where child is with sub-caregiver, not significant for development but extended separations can lead to deprivation- harmful
• The critical period


  First 30 months of life is the critical period for psychological development. If child is separated from mother in absence of substitute care and deprived of her emotional care for an extended time in critical period, psychological care is inevitable
• Effects on intellectual development

  If child was deprived of maternal care for too long in critical period, they would suffer delayed intellectual development, characterised by abnormally low IQ
• Goldfarb's study


  Goldfarb found lower IQ in children who remained in institutions as opposed to those who were fostered and therefore, had a higher standard of emotional care
• Effects on emotional development

  Affectionless psychopathy where there is an inability to experience guilt/strong emotion for others. Prevents person developing normal relationships and is associated with criminality
• Remorse


  Affectionless psychopaths cannot appreciate the feelings of victims and thus, lack remorse for their actions
• Bowlby's 44 thieves study (Procedure)

  Examined link between affectionless psychopaths and maternal deprivation. The sample was 44 criminal teenagers accused of stealing. All were interviewed for signs of affectionless psychopathy characterised by lack of emotion, empathy and guilt for their actions
• Interview of families


  Teenagers' families also interviewed to establish if the 'thieves' had prolonged early separations from their mothers
• Control group


  Control group of non-criminal but emotionally disturbed young people set up to see how often maternal deprivations /separation occurred in children who were not thieves
• Bowlby's 44 thieves study (Findings)

  14/44 described as affectionless psychopaths while 12/14 of those experienced prolonged separation anxiety from mothers in first 2 years of their lives. 5 of the remaining 30 experienced separation
• Control group findings


  2/44 had experienced long separations and therefore, prolonged early separation/deprivation caused affectionless psychopathy