Bowlby's theory of maternal deprivation

Believed children needed warm, intimiate + continual relationship w/ mother to ensure normal mental health. 

Child only become emotionally disturbed if separation happens before 2 1/2, but continuing risk up to 5 years.

Bowbly (1944) - 88 maladjusted children, 44 juvenile thieves, others control. Thieves 'affectionless psychopaths' - lacked normal signs of affection, shame or sense of responsibility - could steal as didn't matter to them.

Affectionless thieves - frequent early separations from mother. 86% affectionless thieves, 17% of other thieves.

None of control participants early separations, 39% all thieves early separations.

Link - LT effects of deprivation.

Bifulco et al (1992) - women early separation from mothers or temp separation for more than year. 25% later experienced depression or anxiety disorder compared to 15% w/ no separation - LT effects.

Real world app - post-war childbearing, how children looked after in hospitals.

May be related to psych separation, not physical - Radke-Yarrow et al (1985) - depressed mothers, 55% children insecurely attached, compared w/ 29% in non-depressed group.

Individual diffs - Barrett (1997) - meta-analysis separation studies, some securely attached + cope well, some insecurely attached especially depressed.

Rutter (1981) - Bowlby doesn't make it clear whether attachment bond formed then broken or if never formed - latter more serious - calls it privation.