Bowlbys maternal deprivation theory

• Maternal deprivation


  When a child loses an element of care from the mother due to prolonged periods of separation, disrupting attachment
• Attachment formation


  • Needs to be formed within the critical period/sensitive period of the first 2.5 years of life
  • Lack of attachment formation in this period will have long lasting and irreversible consequences
• Effects of lack of attachment formation

  • Delinquency
  • Affectionless psychopathy
  • Lower IQ
  • Damage to child's social, emotional, and intellectual later development
• Internal working model


  Mental template for a child's expectations of future relationships
• Maternal deprivation


  • Leads to difficulties in forming healthy relationships
  • Affects one's ability to become a nurturing parent in the future
• Continuity hypothesis


  Issues experienced during childhood attachments may persist into adulthood