Romanian Orphans

Effects of Institutionalisation

Mental Retardation

• most of those adopted before 6 months of age caught up with normal children by aged 4
• intellectual disabilities
• as long as they are adopted young enough, emotional care can lead to the formation of attachments which helps them recover from the mental retardation

Disinhibited Attachment

• result of living with many carers during critical period
• no one attachment can form
• attention seeking
• indiscriminant behaviour
• clingyness

Deprivation

• no mother during critical period
• many Romanian parents could not afford to upkeep the required 5 children 
• many children went into underfunded care
• after the 1989 revolution, many of these children were adopted by British parents

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