Maternal deprivation theory. Bowlby's theory of maternal deprivation Flashcards 2022-11-09

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Maternal deprivation theory is a psychological theory that suggests that a child's emotional and social development can be significantly impaired if they are separated from their mother during the first few years of life. This theory was first proposed by John Bowlby, a British psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, in the 1950s.

According to Bowlby, the mother-child bond is an attachment relationship that is essential for the healthy development of a child's social and emotional skills. He believed that the loss of this attachment, whether due to separation or death, could have serious negative consequences for the child's mental health and overall development.

Bowlby's theory was based on observations of children who had been separated from their mothers during World War II. He found that these children often displayed symptoms of emotional distress, such as difficulty forming attachments with others and problems with social interactions. In addition, they were often more aggressive and had difficulty controlling their emotions.

Bowlby's theory has been supported by subsequent research, which has shown that maternal deprivation can have long-term effects on a child's development. For example, children who have experienced maternal deprivation may have difficulty forming and maintaining healthy relationships, may be more prone to depression and anxiety, and may have lower self-esteem.

However, it is important to note that maternal deprivation is not the only factor that can affect a child's development. Other factors, such as genetics, the presence of other supportive caregivers, and the child's overall environment, can also play a role.

In conclusion, maternal deprivation theory suggests that the loss of the mother-child bond during the early years of life can have significant negative effects on a child's social and emotional development. While this theory has been supported by research, it is important to recognize that there are many other factors that can influence a child's development as well.

Maternal Deprivation

maternal deprivation theory

Some of this material remained unpublished until the post-war period and only gradually contributed to understanding of young children's reactions to loss. Robertson filmed a 2 year old girl called Laura during the 8 day period she was in hospital, she was frequently distressed and begged to go home. Both studies therefore suggest that individual differences such as attachment types need to be considered when assessing the negative effects of disruption of attachment. Twenty of the children studied were not attached to their mothers but to another adult, in some cases the father and in others another family member or even a neighbour. It is theorized that maternal deprivation results in detrimental consequences, especially when the infant is separated from its mother before nine months. The Destruction Of Self-Loathing In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein 1600 Words 7 Pages The maternal bond is considered the strongest bond two humans can have. Bowlby believed that ongoing maternal deprivation would have negative effects on a child in terms of their emotional development, leading to possible mental health problems or maladjustment.

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Bowlby Theory of Maternal Deprivation: Description, Criticism

maternal deprivation theory

The same can be observed when adults respond to the needs and requirements of the child. John Bowlby, working alongside James Robertson 1952 observed that children experienced intense distress when separated from their mothers. Of this group of children 44 had been referred to him for theft and 44 had been referred due to emotional problems. Intellectual development - they would suffer mental retardation, characterised by an abnormally low IQ. Harlow's experiments have been heralded as revolutionary and also robustly criticized as scientifically invalid and sadistically cruel. Attachment is described as a essential need with a biological basis where infants or young children need to maintain a sense of security with a specific person.

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Bowlby's Theory of Maternal Deprivation Flashcards

maternal deprivation theory

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 30 1 , 77-97. These memories may not be accurate. Attachment therapy On Trial: The Torture and Death of Candace Newmaker. Bowlby proposed that separation from the mother or mother-substitute has a serious effect on psychological development. Genie had a strange "bunny walk", in which she held her hands up in front, like paws.

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Bowlbys Theory of Maternal Deprivation

maternal deprivation theory

Results of the studies have led to improvements in the way children are cared for in institutions. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 29 3 , serial number 94. Consequently, his findings may have unconsciously influenced by his own expectations. This is correlational data and as such only shows a relationship between these two variables. It is thought that the lack of emotional care itself rather than poor nourishment may be the cause of this.

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Maternal deprivation theory

maternal deprivation theory

In a range of areas Bowlby cited the lack of adequate research and suggested the direction this could take. The study was vulnerable to researcher bias. From that point on, Bowlby continued to find data that reinforced his theory. Genie now lives in a sheltered accommodation in an undisclosed location in Southern California; it is at least her sixth adult foster home. Both these theorists wanted to display the importance of early life experiences in development and the following arguments will display how their theories proved Bowlby Attachment Theory 1016 Words 5 Pages Attachment is a deep and enduring emotional bond that connects one person to another across time and space Ainsworth, 1973; Bowlby, 1969.

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Bowlby's theory of maternal deprivation evaluation Flashcards

maternal deprivation theory

In her sample, a history of prolonged separation from the mother did not predict criminality or difficulty in forming close relationships. This bond, or lack thereof, has important implications for development and well-being during childhood. Reexamining the relationship of maternal loss in childhood with adult depression and anxiety. Information gathered through interviews with parents and teachers. This is a framework for debate in which the psychological phenomena behind our way of establishing affective bonds with other beings are explored, and in it the way in which fathers and mothers relate to their babies during the first months of the latter's life. Their families were also interviewed in order to establish whether the thieves had prolonged early separation from their mothers.


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John Bowlby

maternal deprivation theory

. All thieves were interviewed for signs of affectionless psychopathy: characterised by a lack of affection, lack of guilt about their actions and lack of empathy for their victims. Origins Of Attachment Theory 843 Words 4 Pages Attachment plays a crucial role in the development of young children, and the social skills of children as they grow into adulthood. Nadison, CT: International Universities Press. Such individuals act on impulse with little regard for the consequences of their actions.


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Bowlby's theory of maternal deprivation Flashcards

maternal deprivation theory

The results of this test led Ainsworth to classify the behaviours into three main categories. He was also concerned with the relationship of the child and primary caregiver and how they interacted, and the effect this had on later life. To test his hypothesis, he studied 44 adolescent juvenile delinquents in a child guidance clinic. It was found that these children had problems forming Freud and Dann 1951 studied six German Jewish orphans separated from their parents during the Holocaust. Those infants adopted before the age of 6 months rarely displayed this type of attachment.

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Bowlby's maternal deprivation theory Flashcards

maternal deprivation theory

Furthermore, Bowlby also argued that deprivation could lead to affectionless psychopathy characterised by individuals with a lack of shame or guilt. In the 19th century, French society bureaucratised a system in which infants were breast-fed at the homes of foster mothers, returning to the biological family after weaning, and no concern was evinced at the possible effect of this double separation on the child. In addition, such problems can be overcome later in the child's development, with the right kind of care. Child care and the growth of love. Of these 14, 12 had experienced prolonged separation from their mothers.

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Maternal Deprivation Research Paper

maternal deprivation theory

Those children are also less likely to experience less depression and anxiety. Bowlby used the term 'maternal deprivation' to refer to separation from an attached figure, loss of an attached figure and failure to develop an attachment to any figure. Maternal Deprivation Theory, John Bowlby Description, AO1 : The Maternal Deprivation Theory was developed by John Bowlby 1951 and focuses on how the effects of early experiences may interfere with the usual process of attachment formation. He concluded that maternal deprivation tended to generate in young people a clinical picture characterized by emotional detachment from other people. Could not stand erect and had a vocabulary of about 20 words.

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