institutionalisation

• Institutionalisation explains the effects of living in an institutional setting, e.g a hospital or orphanage, where children live for long, continuous periods of time.
• Institutional settings lack emotional care and often the conditions are poor
• The Bucharest Early Intervention Project by Zeanah et al in 2005, assessed attachment in 95 Romanian children aged 12-31 months old who had spent most of their time in institutionalised care. Their attachment type was assessed using the Strange Situation and they were compared to a control group of 50 children who had never been in institutional care
• In Zeanah's findings, they found that of the control group, 74% displayed a secure attachment whereas only 19% of the children in an institution were securely attached. 44% of the experimental group also showed signs of disinhibited attachment compared to 20% in the control group
• Disinhibited attachment describes attention seeking, clinginess and social behaviours directed indiscriminately to all adults, familiar or unfamiliar
• Institutionalised care can cause disinhibited attachments to form. A possible explanation for this is that in an institution they will have multiple caregivers during the sensitive period of attachment. Not one bond is strong enough to develop a secure attachment.
• Whilst the findings from the Bucharest test give a good idea of the effects of institutional care on attachment, we only know from these studies effects as long as follow-ups are carried out
• the Bucharest study only followed children between the ages 12-31 months old
• The Bucharest study allows for enhanced understanding of the implications of institutionalisation which has led to improvements in care in orphanages and foster homes
• the Bucharest study used random allocations to conditions, which is a methodological strength as it increases the validity of results by eliminating the confounding variables of which children are chosen for foster homes or adoption
• The Bucharest study's use of random allocation raises an ethical issue because some children who would have been fostered had they been available had this opportunity removed