Disruption of Attachment

Disruption of Attachment

Research into Attachment by Robertson & Robertson

• They aimed to investigate the effects of disruption of attachment and also how these effects could be avoided
• They conducted a natrualistic observation (naturally occuring and not artificial) of young children in a resedential nursery and foster care
• documented the childrens brief seperation from their mother
• the behavioural and emotional reactions were observed to assess the effects of disruption on attachment

• John
• No substitute Care given
• placed in a residential nursery whilst mother was having her second baby
• John tried to attach himself to a nurse but the nursing staff were not assigned to an individual children
• no nurse attended to John long enough to understand him and answer his needs
• he was not mothered or protected from attacks from other children
• food and routines were strange and his fathers visits did little to ease the situation
• John became increasingly distressed, at reunion with the mother he rejected her

• Jane, Lucy, Thomas and…