Deprivation And Privation

What can separate young children from their attachment figures? -Work -Illness -Divorce -Death.

Short-Term Effects of Separation Robertson & Bowlby (1952) – Children separated because of mother’s illness sometimes showed: Protest: crying; sometimes panic  Despair: Loss of hope – child is apathetic, little interest in surroundings, self-comfort behaviours  Detachment: child seems less distressed and does not respond to caregiver when re-united. R&B thought the lack of distress was a disguise of true feelings Known as PDD Model

Strengths/Limitations of the PDD Model (Robertson & Bowlby) + Helped us implement a helping process for young children who are separated from caregivers because of hospital treatment, by: Preparing them for the experience Allowing parent to stay with child in hospital or having more liberal hospital visiting hours Talking about what happened - Does not take into account Individual differences - attachment style; Would a securely attached child respond better/worse than an insecurely attached child?

Does Separation have to be harmful? Robertson & Robertson (1971) – Cared for several separated young children in their own home. They made sure they: Familiarised child with new surroundings before separation Provided similar daily routine Discussed child’s mother with them Compared this group with children cared for in a residential nursery

When is Separation a problem? Bowlby thought that any separation could be detrimental long- term Could bond disruption lead to behaviour problems later? “44 Thieves” study : Juvenile Delinquency Maternal Deprivation Hypothesis

A Question of Degree? Separation: short-term and with good substitute care may not result in bond disruption or any permanent problems Deprivation and Privation may be another matter

Deprivation When a child has formed an important attachment but is then separated long- term from the major attachment figure Privation When a child never formed a close attachment in the first place Evidence Spitz & Goldfarb orphanage studies Widdowson Genie (Curtiss 1989) Identical twins in a cellar (Koluchova 1976)

Deprivation RutterBowlby’said Compare Rutter’s criticisms of Bowlby’s work and theories of Deprivation.

Privation Bowlby’s suggested that the negative effects of maternal deprivation could not be reversed or undone!! EVIDENCE DOES NOT SUPPORT THIS Hodges & Tizard (1977) dispute this in their longitudinal study on children in care. They followed a group of 65 children who were taken into care before they were four months old. They had an average of 50 different caregivers by the time they were 4. Cognitive development did not seem to be affected. What happened next? Adopted How many? Natural homes How many? Institution How many?

Key Findings of Hodges & Tizard Conclusion: What do you think?