bowlby_maternal_deprivation

Slide 1:

Bowlby Maternal Deprivation Hypothesis Prepared by Fetullah MEŞE & Ö. Faruk AKBABA

Outline:

Outline Who is John Bowlby, shortly? What is maternal deprivation which is his hypothesis ? Does any hypothesis confutes maternal deprivation ? Is it a useful concept?

Who is John Bowlby?:

Who is John Bowlby? John Bowlby was an English psychiatrist who developed attachment theory Bowlby graduated from Cambridge University in 1928 He began his professional training at the British Psychoanalytic Institute as a child psychiatrist After World War II, Bowlby became the head of the Children's Department at the Tavistock Clinic He focused his clinical studies on the effects of mother-child separation.

What is the reason to emerge of this hypothesis?:

What is the reason to emerge of this hypothesis? After World War 2, institutional care focused on the physical needs of children, good food and a clean environment, but little on children’s emotional needs, which were poorly recognized. Bowlby proposed that ‘mother love in infancy and childhood is as important for mental health as are vitamins and proteins for physical health.

What is the Hypothesis?:

What is the Hypothesis? The hypothesis is: what is believed to essential for mental health is that the infant and young child should experience a warm, intimate and continuous relationship with his mother (or permanent mother-substitute – one person who steadily ‘mothers’ him) in which both find satisfaction and enjoyment. The period from about 6 months to 3 years was regarded as especially crucial. Bowlby held this belief for a number of reasons, which at the present time seem much less convincing than in the 1960s. Much further evidence has accumulated and the maternal deprivation hypothesis , at least its strong form has become largely discredited.

The first assertion of the hypothesis is Short-Term Seperation:

T he first assertion of the hypothesis is Short-Term S eperation After mother and children are separated for one week , children went through a characteristic sequence; First protesting, but able to be comforted; Secondly despair, and being inconsolable; Thirdly denial and detachment Child superficially unconcerned at the separation, but denying any affection or response to the mother on eventual reunion . This stages were vividly shown in a series of films made by J.Robertson(1967-73)

However, Short-term separation from the mother can be compensated:

However, Short-term separation from the mother can be compensated In Robertsons’ work found that this situation can be compensated by the presence of another attachment figure. Short term foster care in a family, especially if the foster mother got to know the child beforehand, very greatly relieved the child’s distress. If the young child is in hospital, regular visits or stays by mother or father can prevent obvious distress .

The second one is Long-Term Separation:

The second one is Long-Term Separation Children in long-term institutional care, in orphanages and foundling homes, were severely retarded in social, language and cognitive development as a result of the effects of maternal separation. Orphanages were poorly equipped and staffed by persons with little understanding of the psychological needs of the child before the W orld W ar 2. Children are socially immature, if they receive little social contact.

Long-Term Separation:

Long-Term Separation In 1958-69 Harry and Margaret Harlow reported series of studies for rhesus monkeys in the USA. Monkeys were separated from their mothers and raised in isolation. Monkeys showed complete social maladjustment, usually being terrified of other monkeys, crouching, rocking and biting itself and hyper aggressive even to a play invitation. First 3 months a young monkey which is isolated could recover. Isolation for 6 or 12 moths seemed to produce irreversible effects. Adolescence were unable to mate and if a female did have a baby she abused it rather than cared for it.

Confuting The Maternal Deprivation :

Confuting The Maternal D eprivation However, later research in this program showed how severe negative things can be recovered (Harlow, 1972). Instead of being released monkey (6 month isolated) directly into a peer group, it were first placed individually with a younger monkey(3 month, like a therapist). Young monkey approaches and clings to the older one, rather than attacking it. It seems to help older one about physical contact experiences it has missed. This research showed that deprivation effects may not be irreversible, if corrective treatment is used.

Later Problems of Separations:

Later Problems of Separations Bowlby interpreted that the separation experience caused the later behavior problems. Behavior problems in adolescence comes from some sort of separation experience in childhood, such as hospitalization or a broken home brought about by parental separation or divorce .

Confuting Bowlby’s Evidence:

Confuting Bowlby’ s E vidence Evidence is open to various interpretations Rutter(1981) argued that it is the discord often present in separating or divorcing families that led to later behavior problems. It is not separation as such, since death of a parent obviously is affecting the child but it does not usually lead to the negative outcomes that linked to maternal deprivation.

In the long term Bowlby’s Works:

In the long term Bowlby’ s W ork s Bowlby’s work had some beneficial effects in1960s. It led to a marked improvement in the standard of institutional care In many areas the phasing out of institutional care in favor of fostering arrangements. It led to much easier access of parents to a child in hospital care. It led to provide a greater awareness of the child’s emotional needs.

Assessment of the Hypothesis:

Assessment of the Hypothesis An overall assessment is that many of Bowlby’s ideas on maternal deprivation are discredited. However, it is a normal process for 1 and 2 year olds to form strong attachments to a few persons, characterized by proximity seeking and separation protest. Bonds can be formed later, as studies of late adaption show, and many of the apparent adverse effects of maternal deprivation are now seen as due to the other factors, perhaps not specific to the first 2 or 3 years of life. Nevertheless, in certain more limited senses than Bowlby first proposed, it may be that this early period is more crucial for social adjustment than are later years.

Slide 15:

Thank You All