Continuing emotional support, response from carers and attention.
- If separation continues for some time, what is the child thought to suffer from?
Spitz (1945) used Anaclitic depression – ‘a form of depression caused by separation from a caregiver.’ To describe the severe depression found in institutionalized infants as a result of prolonged separation from their mothers.
- According to Spitz and Wolf (1946) how was longer separation rarely associated with complete recovery of your answer to question 5?
They studied over 100 apparently normal children who were hospitalized. They became apathetic and sad but recovered quickly when restored to their mother if the separation lasted less than 3 months. However, longer separations were rarely associated with complete recovery. It is possible that other factors associated with being in hospital were also distressing.
- Do all separations from the caregiver have to result in the child suffering from anaclitic depression? Remember to justify your answer and back it up with the relevant researchers.
No,
- What is important if a child is to develop normally when they live in an ‘institution’?
LONG TERM EFFECTS OF SEPARATION
- What would a child suffer from if he/she could not form a warm, intimate and continuous relationship with its mother?
- Write a definition of maternal deprivation hypothesis.
- What did Robertson and Robertson (1971) say that separation might cause? What evidence is there to back up their statements?
- Describe the aim, method of research, procedure and findings of Bowlby’s 44 thieves’ study.
Aim: To test the maternal deprivation hypothesis and to see if thieves were more likely to have experienced early separations during which they received little substitute care as it would suggest that early separations could lead to emotional maladjustment, supporting the maternal deprivation hypothesis.
Procedure: Children interviewed were from 5 to 16, and all attended the Child Guidance Clinic. The experimental group consisted of 44 children who had been referred to the clinic as they had been caught stealing. A further 44 children acted as a control group. They were not thieves but had experienced emotional problems, for which they had been referred to the clinic. In addition Bowlby diagnosed 14 of the thieves as affectionless psychopaths – individuals who particularly lacked emotional sensitivity. The children and their parents were interviewed by Bowlby and his associates. Information was collected about their early life experiences, with particular attention paid to early separations.
Findings: It was found that the affectionless thieves had experienced frequent early separations from their mothers. 86% of the affectionless thieves (12 out of 14) had experienced frequent early separations compared with 17% (5 out of 30) of the other thieves. Furthermore, almost none of the control participants experienced early separations, whereas 39% of all the thieves had experienced early separations. These early separations often consisted of continual or repeated stays in foster homes or hospitals, when the children were often not visited by their families.
- What conclusion can be drawn from Bowlby’s study?
Conclusion: The findings suggest that there is a link between early separation and becoming a thief (i.e. someone lacking a social conscience). They also suggest that early separations are linked with affectionless psychopathy. In other words, lack of continuous care may well cause emotional maladjustment, especially in the extreme form of affectionless psychopathy.
- Write down as many criticisms as you can about Bowlby’s research.
Criticisms: The information was collected retrospectively so it may be unreliable – Parents were asked to recall events from up to 14 years previously. It is likely that recall was not completely accurate. Also, parents may have not answered questions truthfully, they might be expected to present themselves in a better light and report fewer separations (demand characteristics).
The evidence is correlational, we cannot be certain that the cause of affectionless psychopathy was maternal separation.
EVALUATION OF THE MATERNAL DEPRIVATION HYPOTHESIS
- If the children were already in institutions, can we automatically assume that maternal deprivation caused their behaviour? Justify your answer.
- Bowlby conducted a second study in 1956, summarise the study.
- How can this second study be used as evidence to question the ’44 thieves study’?
- How has Rutter (1981) criticized Bowlby’s research techniques?
- Describe the aims, method, procedure and findings of Rutter (1976) study.
- How does Rutter’s study be used to criticize Bowlby’s research?
PRIVATION
- What is a definition of privation?
Privation refers to the lack of attachments (i.e. no attachments were ever formed)
- What two things have case studies demonstrated about being raised in isolation/deprivation?
- Write the aim, method of research, procedure and results of the study into Genie.
- Evaluate Genie.
- Summarise the study into the Czech twin’s.
- Evaluate the Czech twin study.
STUDIES OF INSTITUTIONALISATION
- Write a definition of ‘institutionalisation’.
- Skodak and Skees carried out a study in 1949, describe it.
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Describe Tizard and Hodges study into institutional care, in detail. (Key study)
- Evaluate Tizard and Hodges study into institutional care.
- What have been the positive outcomes of research into institutional care for children who go into it today?
- What does Rutter et al (1998) research into Romanian Orphans suggest about orphanages?
- In conclusion, are the effects of privation reversible? Justify your answer.
- Write down three additional evaluation points.
- Write a definition of ‘reactive attachment disorder’ and describe the symptoms.
- What is thought to cause this disorder?
- What evidence is there to support your answer to question 16?
