romanian orphan studies

• Aim of Rutter's study


  To investigate the effects of early institutionalisation and deprivation on later life development.
• Procedure of Rutter's study

  Rutter et al followed a group of 165 Romanian orphans to test to what extent good care could make up for poor early experiences in institutions. He grouped the Romanian orphans into those who were adopted while under 6 months, between 6 months and 2 years, and those older than 2.

  Physical, Cognitive and Emotional development was assessed at ages 4, 6, 11 and 15 years old.

  A group of 15 English children adopted around the same time served as a control group.
• Findings of Rutter's study


  At age 6: Children adopted after 6 months showed disinhibited attachment - overly friendly behaviour to strange adults. This was more common in those adopted after 2 years.

  At age 11: Over half the children who showed disinhibited attachment at age 6 still displayed this behaviour. Children adopted after 6 months also showed significant delayed physical, emotional + intellectual development. Children adopted after 2 years had an average IQ of 77 compared to 102 for those adopted under 6 months.

  Intellectual problems continued at the 15 year follow-up.
• + Enhanced psychologist's understanding of the effects of institutionalisation


  E - Orphanages and children's homes now avoid having large numbers of caregivers for each child and instead ensure that a much smaller number of people, (perhaps only one or two people/keyworkers) play a central role for the child.

  E - Having a key worker means that children have the chance to develop normal attachments and helps to avoid disinhibited attachment types.

  L - Therefore, research into institutionalisation has been immensely valuable in practical terms and has also improved the economy.
• + More controlled study


  E - There were fewer extraneous variables in the Romanian orphan studies in comparison to other orphan studies where infants involved had experienced a lot of trauma before they were institutionalised.

  E - Rutter studies institutionalisation without these confounding variables, which means that the findings have high internal validity and a cause and effect relationship can be established.
• - Individual differences


  E - Research suggests that some children who experienced institutionalisation were not as strongly affected as others and even experienced some early attachment experiences.

  E - In all studies, some children are more strongly affected by deprivation than others. These are individual differences.

  L - Therefore, the research may not be able to generalise to all children since there is individual differences between them all.
• Effects of institutionalisation


  Extended stays in institutions such as children's homes and hospitals are thought to alter behaviour, such as the adoption of the rules and norms of the institution. As institutions are unable to provide the same level of physical and emotional care to young children as families, institutionalisation is thought to influence childhood development negatively.
• Deprivation v Privation


  Deprivation is not receiving suitable suitable emotional care from a primary attachment figure.

  Privation is more severe; is the total lack of care, so there is no ability to form an attachment bond.
• Institutional privation


  The fall of the Romanian government in 1990 led to the discovery of an estimated 170,000 abandoned children living in privation in orphanages. They lacked physical and emotional care from the staff and many had been abused.

  Many of the children were adopted into loving Western families, which Rutter observed.
• Rutter's research suggests that adoption within the first six months is important as the rate of recovery depends on age at adoption, and the effects of privation in institutions are severe and long-lasting; however, many children even adopted after two years show recovery, suggesting the critical period argued by Bowlby's sensitive period.
• / Long terms effects are not yet clear

  E - Orphans were only observed up to their mid-teens and found some lasting effects of early experiences, but it's too soon to tell if they are short or long term effects.

  E - Doesn't consider that as adults the may improve their attachments or people who previously had no issues may develop them as adults.

  L - Therefore, it does not actually measure the long-term effects of institutionalisation.