1. Topic - Attachment Institutionalisation
Social, cognitive and physical effects of early institutionalisation
Implications of research into the effects of institutionalisation.

2. In groups, discuss what you can remember about the images above.
Who?
Why?
What? Where?

3. “The foetus is the property of the entire society,”
“Anyone who avoids having children is a deserter who abandons the laws of national continuity.”
“The foetus is the property of the entire society,”
Nicolae Ceausescu Romanian dictator until 1989
Tried to boost the population of Romania by requiring women to have five children and banning abortion.
Due to the high level of poverty this resulted in a drastic number of children who could not be cared for and were placed in state institutions.
Estimates for the number of children in orphanages in 1989 start at 100,000 and go up from there. (Some records suggest in the region of 500,000!)

4. Lack of social interaction No loving care Many different carers
The orphanages became international news in the 1990’s due to the horrendous conditions. What do you think they were like?
Little stimulation:
No toys
Lack of social interaction
No loving care
Many different carers
Lack of nourishing food

5. Would it be possible to artificially create research like this?
A positive legacy of the Orphanages were the rare research opportunities that were made possible.
Why or how were the orphans and orphanages interesting to psychologists?
Would it be possible to artificially create research like this?
Potential for discussing terminology privation/deprivation/ institutionalisation.
Also discuss natural experiments and ethics.

6. Summarising the important stuff.?
Research can be overwhelming and you find yourself bogged down in the detail when you are trying to summarise it.
Try not to…
Rewrite every tiny detail.
Write a story.
Copy chunks out.
Try to:
Remember quality and NOT quantity
Identify the main point you are making
Identify important/specific details and build sentences around these.

7. Summarising the findings of the ERA
Nothing new, but creating your own tables can be a great way of summarising a lot of information to identify the really important ‘bits’. Considering how the children were assessed and what they were assessed for what might you want to compare or monitor for change.?

8. Summarising the findings of the ERA
Effect on Cognitive development
Effect on Physical development
Effect on Social Development
On arrival *
Age 4
Age 6 and 11
TASK: Using the least amount of words possible (that still make some sense to you) summarise the changes in development for one of the effect’s columns.
*you might want to differentiate between those adopted before 6 months and those adopted after 6 months.
** findings may not be available for every single cell.

9. Summarising the findings of the ERA
Cognitive development
Physical development
Social Development
On arrival/ at adoption
IQ on arrival 63 (for those adopted when over 6 months average was 45)
51% were in bottom 3% of the population for weight
Shorter than normal for age
Smaller head circumference for age
Age 4
Majority adopted before 6 months no differences.
Before 6 months IQ increased from
After 6 months IQ increased from 45-90
Older adoptees still lagging behind
Age 6 and 11
Adopted after 6 months many were receiving help from either special educational and/ or mental health services.
Adopted after 6 months many showed disinhibited attachments (54%) and had problems with peer relationships.
In your groups decide on the most interesting / significant findings.
Be prepared to justify your decision.

10. Highlighting- Study skills
Rational for activity
We all highlight too much
Some of us do not benefit from reading text in class- struggle answering questions on pack or an article without having to read it again
It helps us become more critical- supporting our evaluation in essays
Prep and support for revision- an effective revision and memory strategy
Prep and support for university- you will be “reading” for a degree

11. Read & highlight the article
TASK:
Find two examples of why highlighting is ineffective
Find two examples of how highlighting can be effective
Do you want to use a highlighter?
Feedback?

12. The Best Approach
Read an assigned text quickly -- for a general overview -- then go back and seek details.
View yourself as a translator of the material, with your job being to translate the text into your own language
Keep a pen or a pencil, not a highlighter, in your hand. Underline important passages and define terms through your own eyes
Write notes, questions and reactions in the margins. When you read you should be having a conversation with the text.
Don't let it do all the talking -- react to it. Your response helps you formulate the meaning of the text.
Read actively.

13. Highlighting- Study skills The English and Romanian Adoptees (ERA)
TASK:
1. In pairs scan the essay quickly
2. Read for detail by identifying and annotating the following:
Procedure
Sample
Effect of institutionalisation (EOI)
Implications
Strength
Weakness
Plus anything else you think is important definitions, key terms, your reactions….
3. Finally go back with your highlighters to:
select only the most important details - max 2 ‘chunks’ per paragraph.
Identify any themes/ connections (you might want to use different colours for different themes).
Michael Rutter

14. Discuss the effects of institutionalisation
Discuss the effects of institutionalisation. Refer to the studies of Romanian orphans in your answer. [16 marks]
Putting your highlighting and summarising skills to the test….
Using only the chunks you have highlighted summarise the main point being made in the paragraph that you are given.
hide all other notes

15. How are the last 5 paragraphs different to the first 4 paragraphs?
Discuss the effects of institutionalisation. Refer to the studies of Romanian orphans in your answer. [16 marks]
What is the balance of description of the procedure to interpretation of the findings?
Which two main effects are identified and how does the writer make this clear to the reader?
How are the last 5 paragraphs different to the first 4 paragraphs?

16. Example answer - Discuss the effects of institutionalisation
Example answer - Discuss the effects of institutionalisation. Refer to the studies of Romanian orphans in your answer. [16 marks]
A number of studies have researched the effects of institutionalisation, most recently the ERA project by Rutter et al in This was a longitudinal study in which 165 Romanian Orphans who had experienced early extreme privation, were assessed and monitored on arrival in the UK and throughout their childhood, at ages 4,6,11 and later at 15. The Romanian children had been adopted at different ages, which can largely be divided into those adopted before 6 months, 6 months to 2 years, and those adopted after the age of 2. The children were compared against national averages for their age group, but importantly they were also compared against a control group of UK children who had also been adopted before 6 months of age. When the children were first adopted they were behind their UK counterparts on a range of measures suggesting the effects of institutionalisation can include poor cognitive, physical and social development. For example the Romanian Orphans had a lower IQ and were smaller in weight and height. However the follow up assessments found that many of the negative effects ‘disappeared’ over time for the majority of those adopted before 6 months, whereas those adopted after 6 months continued to suffer on a number of measures.

17. Example answer - Discuss the effects of institutionalisation
Example answer - Discuss the effects of institutionalisation. Refer to the studies of Romanian orphans in your answer. [16 marks]
Taking IQ as an indicator of cognitive function, the Romanian orphans on arrival in the UK had an average of 63, for those adopted after 6 months the average was 45. When the children were assessed at age 4 all of the children had improved however the extent of improvement was vastly different. Those adopted before 6 months showed no significant differences to the control group to an average IQ of 67, the same cannot be said for those adopted after 6 months who continued to lag behind, with an average of 90. Later assessments at age 11 and 16 also showed below average IQ levels, with a many of them receiving help from special education needs services. Similarly the effects of institutionalisation on attachment also varied depending on the age at which the children were adopted. Those children adopted after six months showed signs of a particular attachment style called disinhibited attachment. Symptoms include attention seeking, clinginess and social behaviour directed indiscriminately towards all adults, both familiar and unfamiliar. When assessed at 6 and aged 11 many continued to display a disinhibited attachment style and found it difficult to maintain peer relationships. In contrast children adopted before 6 months did not show any signs of disinhibited attachment. This difference highlights the long lasting effects on social development for children who spend longer than the first 6 months in institutions that do not enable the formation of healthy attachments.

18. Example answer - Discuss the effects of institutionalisation
Example answer - Discuss the effects of institutionalisation. Refer to the studies of Romanian orphans in your answer. [16 marks]
Other studies have found similar effects of institutionalisation For example Morison’s study of Romanian orphans in Canada and O’ Connor found indiscriminate friendliness was positively correlated with time spent in an institution. This reflects the disinhibited attachment type for those adopted later in life, in which they showed a relative lack of differentiation in response to adults, even strangers. Thus it would appear that Rutter’s findings are reliable. The findings of the ERA have important implications for children in the care system today. In the past mothers giving up babies for adoption were encouraged to nurse their babies for a significant period of time. However as the negative effects were dramatically reduced for the Romanian babies adopted before 6 months this stresses the importance of early adoption. Suggesting that secure-attachments can be formed just as securely as non-adoptive families.

19. Example answer - Discuss the effects of institutionalisation
Example answer - Discuss the effects of institutionalisation. Refer to the studies of Romanian orphans in your answer. [16 marks]
The use of a longitudinal approach is another strength, by assessing the children at varying ages it has been possible to suggest that a number of the negative effects of institutionalisation can disappear after sufficient time and with suitable high-quality care. If conclusions were drawn after the assessment at age 4 this may not have been the case. Furthermore the use of the control group also negates errors in differentiating between the effects of institutionalisation and the effects of separation from the mother. The control group had been separated from their mother however they had not experienced institutionalisation. The fact that they were not developmentally delayed allowed Rutter to isolate the causes of differences to institutionalisation. However the fact that Rutter’s research is a natural experiment in which the variables are naturally occurring it is difficult to establish causal relationships. For instance it was difficult to find out about the quality of the care the children received in the institutions and thus the level of privation experienced. Similarly there are cases of some children being given special attention by carers in which they may have formed an attachment. Therefore it is difficult to suggest that institutionalisation or privation is likely to result in poor cognition or unhealthy attachment types.