ATTACH - 10 - Institutionalisation

What was the main aim of Rutter et al’s (2010) study on Romanian orphans?

• To examine the long-term effects of institutionalisation on development.
• To study the effects of adoption on sibling relationships.
• To explore the role of food in attachment.
• To investigate the impact of maternal deprivation on IQ.

What was a significant finding regarding IQ in Rutter’s study of Romanian orphans?

• Children adopted before 6 months had significantly higher IQs than those adopted later.
• Children adopted after 2 years had the highest IQs.
• There was no difference in IQ based on age of adoption.
• All children in the study had similar IQs regardless of age of adoption.

What is disinhibited attachment, as observed in children from institutional care?

• Clingy, attention-seeking behavior directed at all adults, not just caregivers.
• A refusal to form attachments with anyone.
• A secure attachment to multiple caregivers.
• Avoiding any form of emotional attachment with caregivers.

What did Zeanah et al. (2005) find regarding attachment in institutionalized children?

• 65% of the children in institutional care had disinhibited attachments.
• All institutionalized children had secure attachments.
• Children in institutional care had higher IQs than those in the control group.
• Only 5% of institutionalized children had insecure attachments.

What is a key limitation of the Romanian orphan studies in terms of generalizability?

• The conditions of care were so dire that they cannot represent all institutional settings.
• The sample size was too large to draw meaningful conclusions.
• The study only observed short-term effects of institutionalisation.
• There were no ethical concerns with this study.

How has research on institutionalisation influenced social services?

• It has led to earlier adoption processes to promote better attachment outcomes.
• It has led to the elimination of all institutional care.
• It showed that institutions do not affect attachment outcomes.
• It stopped parents from adopting children younger than 6 months.

Why is it difficult to interpret the results of Romanian orphan studies as solely due to maternal deprivation?

• The children experienced multiple risk factors, such as malnourishment and lack of mental stimulation.
• The children were too young to show effects of deprivation.
• The children were adopted too quickly to see effects.
• All the children formed disinhibited attachments regardless of care.

What strength of Rutter’s research on institutionalisation helps validate the findings?

• The research was longitudinal, allowing both short-term and long-term effects to be assessed.
• The study only examined Romanian orphans, controlling for external variables.
• The study had a small sample, making the results easier to interpret.
• The research was completed in less than 6 months, ensuring timely results.

What limitation arises from the correlational nature of the data in the orphan studies?

• Cause and effect cannot be established, as other factors may have influenced the outcomes.
• The data only shows a relationship between institutional care and positive outcomes.
• There is no relationship between age of adoption and outcomes.
• The study could not observe any intellectual differences between groups.