Outline the Behaviour of a Child Who Is Experiencing Separation Anxiety and Disinhibited Attachment?

ATTACHMENT QUESTIONS

(Q1) Outline the behaviour of a child who is experiencing separation anxiety and disinhibited attachment?

(4 marks)

Separation takes place when the infant and the primary caregiver spend time away from each other because they are physically separated. Occasionally, a child can suffer some long-term effects from being separated from the primary caregiver. These effects may persist long after the separation has ended and are known as separation anxiety. This separation anxiety is characterised by the following behaviours: Extreme clinginess: The infant attempts to cling whenever the parent tries to leave them even in places where they were happy being left beforehand (for example, a nursery they may have been going too for a long time). The infant also becomes more demanding with their primary caregiver perhaps seeking their attention more often than before the separation occurred. At times the infant may become detached from their caregiver refusing to be hugged or cuddled. Many children alternate between being demanding and clingy to being detached. According to Rutter et al. disinhibited attachment is a behaviour pattern characteristic of children raised in institutions. Rather than showing stranger anxiety, the child seeks the company of any adult they are exposed to, demanding attention from them. They also become distressed when the adult leaves, crying despite the fact they have no attachment to them.

(Q2) Outline the findings of one study into the effects of privation on a child?

(3 marks)

Rutter et al. (2007) carried out a longitudinal study comparing Romanian orphans adopted by UK families with UK born children who were adopted at birth (for example, therefore never spent time in an institution). Rutter et al. found that at age six there was evidence of disinhibited attachment. This behaviour pattern was more common in the late adoptees. However, it was extremely rare in the UK-born children as well as the early adopted Romanian infants. At age eleven it was found that disinhibited attachment had persisted in many of the late adoptees. Furthermore, the researchers found that many of the children that displayed this behaviour were receiving help from either special educational and/or mental health services. These findings suggest that disinhibited attachment behaviour is more likely to occur in children who have experienced longer periods in institutions.

(Q3) Outline one possible effect of institutionalisation?

(2 marks)

The effects on institutionalisation are of interest to psychologists as it is assumed that many children suffer privation as a consequence of their time spent in these, sometimes horrific, places. According to Rutter et al. (2007) who researched into the effects of institutionalisation he concluded that it was likely that the orphans are unable to form attachments during their time in the institution and so privation may be occurring. Those children who were adopted when young (under 6 months of age) were still in time to form attachments to their adoptive parents and so didn't suffer from their stay in the institution. However, those who were adopted late (2-4 years) may well have been too old to form an attachment and so suffered from the damaging effects of privation.

(Q4) Explain two possible effects of day care on social development?

(4 marks)

According to Belsky (2006) one negative effect of day care on social development is that children who have experienced day care tend to show advanced cognitive and language development but may also show higher levels of problem behaviours including aggression towards peers. Therefore they may also be less obedient to authority figures such as adults as they grow older. However, Andersson (1992) found that children who attended day care were able to get along with other children better, were more sociable and outgoing and had better abilities to play with their peers than children who did not attend day care.

(Q5) What factors make it difficult to assess the effects of day care on social development?

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