Factors Influencing Reaction to Separations

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  • Created by: KarenL78
  • Created on: 04-12-17 21:16

Factors (1):

  • There are variable reactions to short-term maternal deprivation of any kind and these may be influenced by the following factors:

The Age of the Child:  Separation distress occurs between the ages of approx. 6 months - 3 years.  Macoby (1980) observed that the incidence of distress peaked at 12-18 months.  Distress is problematic because the child has little language or understanding and no concept of time and so requires a reminder of mother or home to help reduce the amout of distress felt.

Gender / Temperament:  Gross argues that boys exhibit more separation distress than girls but both sexes vary in their reaction and in their ability to cope with the separation.  However the ability to cope may be influence by a variety of factors e.g. ehterh there were pre-existing problems in the relationship with attachment figures before the separation.

Existing Relationship with Mother:  The more stable the relationship before separation the more effectively the child will be able to cope, but if the mother is overprotective towards the child then there will be more distress.  If a child has had good experiences of separations in the past Stacey et al (1970), has had experience of multiple attachments or has had a father who takes an active role in the child-rearing Kotelchuck (1976) then the child will express reduced levels of separation distress.

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Factors (2):

Unfamiliarity & Unstimulating Quality of the Environment: Bowlby and the work of the Robertson's (1960's) has shown how unfamiliaroty with the hospital surroundings can make separation anxiety more acute.  Jolly (1969) maintained that boredom added to the distress experienced by the child and Heinecke et al (1965) found evidence to suggest that the presence of a sibling helped reduce distress as did the presence of a familiar toy or blanket.

Quality of Substitute Care:  Children cared for at home, or in familiar surroundings by multiple attachment figures experience less separation distress, while children in institutions who have ti contend with many unfamiliar people experience more distress Tizard & Rees (1974).

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Separation Anxiety (1):

  • Bowlby's understanding of attachment is very definitely based in psychodynamic (Freudian) theory and he believed that children are programmed by genetics to forma. relationship with its mother, and therefore any departure from this will have long term repercussions.
  • Bowlby described separation anxiety as resulting from a fear that separations will occur again in the future.  This anxiety was held to be presented as:

a). Psychosomatic Reaction e.g. asthma.

b). Increased agressive/demanding behaviour.

c). Detachment.

d). Clinging behaviour.  Separation anxiety can be expressed later on in adulthood where the clinging may manifest itself in marital relationships as dependency.

e). School phobia / refusal to attend - this is held to be because the child is frightened that something will happen to the mother and therefore wants to stay at home.

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Separation Anxiety (2):

f).  Delinquency.  Bowlby maintained that broken homes lead to delinquent behaviour, however Rutter (1970) found that it was not separation from the mother that had an effect on the child but the reasons for that separation.

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