Bowlby's Maternal Deprivation

• Maternal Deprivation: Bowlby (1951) -

  • Separation = short-term, child is not in the presence of the primary caregiver.
  • Deprivation = loss of emotional care normally provided by the primary care giver. Long-term consequences.
  • Privation = attachment never formed.
• Long-term separation from mum can lead to maternal deprivation. Physical care isn't enough infants require on-going emotional care. Separation during critical period can lead to long-term negative consequences (irreversible) e.g. lowered intellectual & emotional development. These can be avoided if substitute care is provided during the critical period. Future relationships impacted as they are unable to feel guilt or emotions for others (affectionless psychopathy), they also have a faulty IWM due to disrupted attachment.
• Bowlby's 44 Thieves Study -

  • Case studies on 88 children who were attending the child guidance clinic. 44 were caught stealing the other 44 were used as the control group. They were interviewed to check for affectionless psychopathy & if there was prolonged separation from mothers. 14/44 had affectionless psychopathy and 12/14 had experienced prolonged maternal deprivation. None of the control were affectionless psychopathy.
• AO3 Maternal Deprivation: Bowlby (1951) -

  • Lewis (1954) replicated the study on a larger scale with 500 people. Conclusion didn't find early prolonged separation from mother to predict criminality or difficulty forming close relationships.
  • The results indicated a link between deprivation & criminality however, cause & effect cannot be established lowers the scientific credibility of psychology as a science.
  • Goldfarb (1947) found lower IQ in institutionalised children opposed to fostered who got emotional care which supports the consequences of maternal deprivation.
• AO3 Maternal Deprivation: Bowlby (1951) -

  • RS, Levy et al found separating rats from their mothers for as little as a day had a permanent effect on their social development.
  • ~ can't extrapolate as humans are more complex than rats.
  • Rutter has also accused Bowlby of not distinguishing between deprivation and privation – the complete lack of an attachment bond, rather than its loss. Rutter stresses that the quality of the attachment bond is the most important factor, rather than just deprivation in the critical period.
• Effects of Institutionalisation -

  • effects of living in one
  • looking at privation = no attachment formed & the effects with institutionalisation.
• Romanian Orphan Study: Rutter et al (2010) - Longitudinal study, 111 Romanian orphans adopted by British families compared with 52 UK adoptees (control). Some of the orphans were adopted before 6 months & some were older than 6 months. Each child was assessed at 4, 6 and 11 by parental reports, modified SS & investigator ratings.
• Romanian Orphan Study: Rutter et al (2010) Findings -

  • Romanian orphans adopted after 6 months lagged behind control group, physically as they weighed less, low IQ & less competent socially.
  • Romanian children adopted after 6 months displayed a disinhibited attachment style characterised by attention-seeking, clinginess, indiscriminate behaviour towards all adults.
  • The control group & Romanian orphans adopted before 6 months didn't display these factors.
• Bucharest Early Intervention: Zeenah et al -

  Assessed attachment in 95 children (12-31 months) who spent most of their lives in institutional care - 90% on average, compared to 50 children who'd never been institutionalised.

  • Attachment type was measured by SS & carers were asked about unusual behaviours e.g. clinginess, attention-seeking - disinhibited attachment style.
• • Bucharest Early Intervention: Zeenah et al Findings -
  • 74% of control = securely attached
  • 19% of the institutionalised children = securely attached
  • 65% of the institutionalised children demonstrated a disinhibited attachment style.
• AO3 Effects of Institutionalisation -

  • Longitudinal studies allow the same individuals to be studied over years increasing the internal validity & reduces the effect of potential EV's.
  • People often drop out of longitudinal studies & researchers may be left with a potentially biased sample, those who have severe negative effects are more likely to drop out so statistics may be invalid.
  • Other than emotional deprivation, the physical conditions were appalling, lack of cognitive stimulation would also affect their development. Thus, maternal deprivation should not be over-exaggerated.
• AO3 Effects of Institutionalisation -

  • Natural studies, no control over EV's, other factors may influence attachment, may not be able to conclude effects are definitely caused by institutionalisation.
  • RLA, allows us to see negative effects of institutionalisation & can tell us how to improve and reduce negative effects e.g. early adoption may help institutions reduce potential negative effects & reduce chances of children forming a disinhibited attachment style.
• ADDIDDAS to remember the effects of maternal deprivation:

  Aggression

  Delinquency

  Dwarfism,

  Intellectual retardation,

  Depression,

  Dependency,

  Affectionless Psychopathy,

  Social maladjustment
• AO3 Maternal Deprivation: Bowlby (1951) -

  • Research support, Harlow's monkeys. He showed that monkeys reared in isolation from their mother suffered emotional and social problems in older age. The monkey’s never formed an attachment (privation) and, as such, grew up to be aggressive and had problems interacting with other monkeys.
• AO3 Maternal Deprivation: Bowlby (1951) -

  • RLA, in orphanages now, they have to take account of emotional needs, and fostered children have to be kept in one stable home rather than being moved around. In maternity units, mothers are now allowed to spend more time with their babies as well as if they have a sick child, the visiting hours in the hospital have been extended, and parents can even stay overnight if they wish.
• Effects of Institutionalisation -

  • mental retardation/low IQ
  • delayed language development
  • quasi-autism
  • disinhibited attachment
  • disorganised attachment
  • delayed physical development, e.g. restricted growth
  • impaired adult relationships