Romanian Orphan Study

• Institutionalisation


  Unable to provide same level of physical and emotional care to young children
• Deprivation


  Not receiving suitable emotional care due to frequent absence of mother
• Privation


  Total lack of care from primary caregiver, no attachment bond being formed
• Rutter (1998 - 2011)


  Conducted a longitudinal study of 165 orphans, who were previously malnourished and abused, adopted by British families

  Ages of children when adopted

  • Under 6 months
  • 6 months - 2 years
  • 2 years+

  Each group was assessed at the ages of 4, 6, 11 and 15
• Rutter (1998 - 2011) - Findings

  • Children adopted at 2 years+More common to have disinhibited attachment at 6 years old
  • Children adopted after 6 monthsShowed delayed physical, emotional and intellectual development at 11 years old
  • Children adopted 2 years+ had an average IQ of 77
  • In a small number of cases, Quasi-autism tendencies were identified
• (+) A03: Practical Application

  Changes in policies around adoption and care in orphanages
• (+) A03: Goldfarb (1947)


  Found that early fostering led to higher mental ability and social skills
• (-) A03: No Random Assignment


  Orphans weren't randomly assigned to families, this could result in bias as more sociable children may of been picked