Attachment Theory and Maternal Deprivation

Focus of Attachment Unit

Monotropy: Infants form a unique, strong bond with the mother, providing a secure base.
Critical Period: Up to 30 months post-birth; bonding interruptions lead to maternal deprivation.
- Prolonged effects noted up to 5 years.
Consequences of Maternal Deprivation:
- Poor social development, delinquency, emotional issues.
- Emotional development hindered, leading to affectional psychopathy.
- Intellectual development impaired, lower IQ.
- Internal working model: Foundation for future relationships.
- Continuity hypothesis: Ineffective internal working model affects future relationships and parenting.

Compared emotionally disturbed boys who were thieves to those who weren't.
Thieves more likely to have experienced prolonged separation during the critical period;
- Linked to delinquency and affectional psychopathy.
Study limitations: Correlational, can't establish causation due to factors like socioeconomic status.

Influenced public policy, social welfare systems, and hospital visitor policies.
Economic implications: Rising nursery care costs.
Social sensitivity: Increased maternity leave, potential reinforcement of traditional gender roles and pay gaps.
Criticisms: Gender bias, undervalues father's role.

Privation: Absence of emotional care; no attachment formed.
Romanian Revolution (1990): 170,000 children in orphanages.
Rutter's ERA Study (1998-2011):
- Longitudinal study of 165 Romanian orphans adopted by British families.
- Three adoption groups: <6 months, 6 months - 2 years, >2 years.
- Findings: Disinhibited attachment in children adopted after 6 months; delayed growth.
- Intellectual challenges persisted in late adoptees.