Attachment disorder behavior following early severe deprivation: extension and longitudinal follow-up. English and Romanian Adoptees Study Team
Researchers assessed attachment-related behaviours at age six in 165 Romanian adoptees and 52 UK domestic adoptees, with age-four data for part of the sample. Parent interviews showed an association between longer deprivation and more attachment-related difficulties. These behaviours overlapped with attention, conduct and cognitive difficulties but also formed a distinct pattern. Individual differences were relatively stable between ages four and six.
Limitations: Attachment-related evidence was supplied through parent interviews rather than children describing their own relationships. Historical diagnostic terminology differs from current usage. This cohort experienced extreme early institutional deprivation and does not represent adoptees generally. Participants overlap with other ERA publications. Evidence-provider note: adoptive parents supplied some or all questionnaire/interview assessments of the adoptee’s outcomes. These proxy reports are not the adoptee’s own account; other evidence sources, where present, are described in the summary.
- Research type
- Longitudinal comparative cohort study
- Source reviewed
- Abstract
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Age group
- Children
Study context and review
Age group as recorded: Children
Adoption context: Intercountry adoption from Romanian institutions; UK domestic-adoption comparison
Programme: English and Romanian Adoptees Study
Institutional context: No relationship identified in the material checked
No adoption-sector organisational relationship identified in the bibliographic material screened. This is not confirmation of institutional independence; affiliations, funding and conflicts were not comprehensively audited.
Bibliographic screening. Bibliographic relationships are not a bias or safety rating.
Topics: ADHD, attachment, disinhibited social engagement, institutional care, institutional deprivation, intercountry adoption, longitudinal, UK research
Review scope: Source checked: Abstract. This does not imply full-text or independent human verification.
Country as recorded: United Kingdom; Romania (origin)
- Funding
- Not yet checked for this entry
- Commissioner
- Not yet checked for this entry
- Funder role
- Not yet checked for this entry
- Declared conflicts
- Not yet checked for this entry
- Recruitment
- Not yet checked for this entry
- Adoptee involvement
- Not yet checked for this entry
Entry: study_ec6a24c2352a5415