Privation
Privation is when an attachment between an infant and primary caregiver is never formed. This could occur in extreme cases of neglect and feral children. One example is the case of Genie.
This question may focus on whether the effects of privation are reversible and rely on study evidence as description of this:
1. Genie (see core studies)
2. Koluchova – Czech Twins
Identical twin boys who’s mother died shortly after they were born. They were put in an institution for a year, then an Aunt for a further 6 months. Their father remarried and at 18 months old they went to live with their father, stepmother and her children. Their stepmother locked then away and beat them, until they were discovered aged 7. They were small for their age, could not talk and not recognise pictures. They were placed in a school for children with learning difficulties and adopted . Over time they began to catch up with children their own age. At 11 years old they had normal speech, aged 15 normal IQ. A later report found that both twins had married and with jobs in electronics.
Evaluation:
It was known that the twins were normal in development when they left their Aunts care. This gives a baseline to show they were deprived afterwards
This was a case study so it gathered in depth detail from interviews, observations and IQ tests. This gives it validity. However case studies are difficult to generalise as other children will not experience the conditions as the twins.
As the boys had each other they may have formed an attachment to each other, so did not experience privation. Also they may have formed an attachment to their Aunt, suggesting they experienced deprivation rather than privation.
3. Freud & Dann – Children of the Holocaust
6 war orphans whose parents were murdered in the first few months of their lives were raised in a camp with little contact with anyone but each other. They were aged 3 when freed and brought to Britain where they were fostered. They had poor language and physical development, and were hostile to adults because they wanted to stay together (separation anxiety). The children developed normal intelligence, although one did seek psychiatric help as an adult and one other described being lonely.
Evaluation:
This was a longitudinal study so the long term effects of privation could be found to draw conclusions over whether privation is reversible.
As it was based on real experiences, it has high validity. This experience could not be set up due to ethics, so it is a valuable way of understanding privation.
However, as there were 6 children they may have formed attachments to each other, so may not have experienced privation. However they did not experience adult care which is important for child development.
Also there are other variables that could explain the effects e.g. children’s temperaments
4. Hodges & Tizard
Studied 65 children raised in residential care during their first year of life. Some were returned to their biological family, some were adopted and some remained in the nstitution.
The adopted children developed better than those in the other groups, although all children suffered some effects e.g. peer relationships.
Evaluation:
This was a longitudinal study so while it measured the same children over time and the effects of privation can be studied, there were issues over bias. The adopted children who remained in the study had shown better adjustment at age 4. In contrast, the restored children who remained in the study had shown more adjustment problems at age 4. This bias may have emphasised differences between the groups.
It may not be the privation itself but the reason behind it that affects development.
There were also individual differences found between each group of children.
Evaluation issues in the debate over whether privation is reversible:
· Case studies – all unique and difficult to compare
· Attachment to others may have helped the twins and orphans in Freud and Dann
· Sometimes it is unclear if the individual would be capable of ‘normal’ development or if there are other abnormalities e.g. Genie
· Age – in the studies the children were all found at different ages, it may be that Genie’s development was most affected due to being found much later
· Temperament – there may be individual differences between the children, some may have greater resilience
· If the child had formed relationship before privation occurred e.g. the Koluchova twins may have formed an attachment to their Aunt.
Privation is when an attachment between an infant and primary caregiver is never formed. This could occur in extreme cases of neglect and feral children. One example is the case of Genie.
This question may focus on whether the effects of privation are reversible and rely on study evidence as description of this:
1. Genie (see core studies)
2. Koluchova – Czech Twins
Identical twin boys who’s mother died shortly after they were born. They were put in an institution for a year, then an Aunt for a further 6 months. Their father remarried and at 18 months old they went to live with their father, stepmother and her children. Their stepmother locked then away and beat them, until they were discovered aged 7. They were small for their age, could not talk and not recognise pictures. They were placed in a school for children with learning difficulties and adopted . Over time they began to catch up with children their own age. At 11 years old they had normal speech, aged 15 normal IQ. A later report found that both twins had married and with jobs in electronics.
Evaluation:
It was known that the twins were normal in development when they left their Aunts care. This gives a baseline to show they were deprived afterwards
This was a case study so it gathered in depth detail from interviews, observations and IQ tests. This gives it validity. However case studies are difficult to generalise as other children will not experience the conditions as the twins.
As the boys had each other they may have formed an attachment to each other, so did not experience privation. Also they may have formed an attachment to their Aunt, suggesting they experienced deprivation rather than privation.
3. Freud & Dann – Children of the Holocaust
6 war orphans whose parents were murdered in the first few months of their lives were raised in a camp with little contact with anyone but each other. They were aged 3 when freed and brought to Britain where they were fostered. They had poor language and physical development, and were hostile to adults because they wanted to stay together (separation anxiety). The children developed normal intelligence, although one did seek psychiatric help as an adult and one other described being lonely.
Evaluation:
This was a longitudinal study so the long term effects of privation could be found to draw conclusions over whether privation is reversible.
As it was based on real experiences, it has high validity. This experience could not be set up due to ethics, so it is a valuable way of understanding privation.
However, as there were 6 children they may have formed attachments to each other, so may not have experienced privation. However they did not experience adult care which is important for child development.
Also there are other variables that could explain the effects e.g. children’s temperaments
4. Hodges & Tizard
Studied 65 children raised in residential care during their first year of life. Some were returned to their biological family, some were adopted and some remained in the nstitution.
The adopted children developed better than those in the other groups, although all children suffered some effects e.g. peer relationships.
Evaluation:
This was a longitudinal study so while it measured the same children over time and the effects of privation can be studied, there were issues over bias. The adopted children who remained in the study had shown better adjustment at age 4. In contrast, the restored children who remained in the study had shown more adjustment problems at age 4. This bias may have emphasised differences between the groups.
It may not be the privation itself but the reason behind it that affects development.
There were also individual differences found between each group of children.
Evaluation issues in the debate over whether privation is reversible:
· Case studies – all unique and difficult to compare
· Attachment to others may have helped the twins and orphans in Freud and Dann
· Sometimes it is unclear if the individual would be capable of ‘normal’ development or if there are other abnormalities e.g. Genie
· Age – in the studies the children were all found at different ages, it may be that Genie’s development was most affected due to being found much later
· Temperament – there may be individual differences between the children, some may have greater resilience
· If the child had formed relationship before privation occurred e.g. the Koluchova twins may have formed an attachment to their Aunt.