Child–parent attachment following early institutional deprivation

Abstract

Child–parent attachment quality with an adoptive caregiver at age 4 years was examined in a sample of 111 children adopted into the United Kingdom following early severe deprivation in Romania and a comparison group of 52 nondeprived within–United Kingdom adoptees. Findings indicated that, compared with nondeprived adoptees, children who experienced early severe deprivation were less likely to be securely attached and more likely to show atypical patterns of attachment behavior; ordinary forms of insecure attachment were not associated with deprivation. Within the sample of deprived adoptees, there was a dose–response association between duration of deprivation and disturbances in attachment behavior. In addition, a minority of children who experienced severe early deprivation were classified as avoidant, secure, or dependent using conventional classification strategies, despite also exhibiting atypical patterns of attachment behaviors, and this was also more likely among children exposed to prolonged deprivation. The results raise both theoretical and methodological implications for attachment research on very deprived children.

Attachment disorders in family and social context

“…Measures of indiscriminate behavior clearly diverge from other measures of attachment quality, and in fact, indiscriminate behavior has been identified in children who lack and do not lack preferred attachment figures (Chisholm, 1998;O'Connor et al, 2003;Zeanah et al, 2005a). The disinhibited pattern also is far less responsive than is the inhibited pattern to enhanced caregiving (Zeanah et al, 2005a).…”

“…The disinhibited pattern also is far less responsive than is the inhibited pattern to enhanced caregiving (Zeanah et al, 2005a). Perhaps most troubling is the finding that young children who appear to have established attachments, sometimes even secure ones to adoptive or foster parents, may demonstrate significant levels of indiscriminate behavior (Chisholm, 1998;O'Connor et al, 2003). This seems to suggest that indiscriminate behavior may represent something other than an attachment disorder.…”

The Effects of Social Deprivation within Orphanages on Parent- Child Attachment: How Adoption can Ameliorate Attachment Problems

“…O'Connor's data suggested that even if a child has been socially deprived in early infancy, he or she is still capable of developing a form of attachment to his caregiver. However, O'Connor et al's (2003) study only confirmed that socially deprived children who are adopted before the age of two are capable of forming attachments to their adoptive parents. It is therefore inconclusive in proving the impact that age has on a child's ability to form an attachment to his or her adoptive parents.…”

“…When a child is socially deprived, he or she is denied the appropriate amount of attention from a responsive caregiver. In turn, the cycle a secure child has with his parent, known as the "need-arousalgratification-relief-need," cannot exist if the child is socially deprived (O'Connor, Marvin, Rutter, Olrick, & Britner, 2003;Cole, et al, 2005). Social deprivation is characterized by two components; social and emotional neglect (Tharp-Taylor, 2003).…”

Mental health disorders in the first years of life: disorders mostly related with psychogenic factors

“…В одних из них [15] при изменении со-циальной ситуации в положительную сторону имело ме-сто значительное улучшение состояния детей. Однако у детей с диагнозом расторможенного расстройства привя-занности этого установлено не было [16,17], и умеренно стабильные признаки этого синдрома нередко обнаружи-вались даже в школьном возрасте, несмотря на то, что де-ти жили в семье с должным уровнем заботы.…”