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Placement in foster care enhances quality of attachment among young institutionalized children

Anna T Smyke1, Charles H Zeanah, Nathan A Fox

  • 1Department of Psychiatry/Neurology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA. asmyke@tulane.edu

Child Development
|March 25, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Early foster care placement significantly improves attachment security in institutionalized children. Children moved before 24 months showed better attachment outcomes, highlighting foster care

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Child Psychiatry
  • Social Work

Background:

  • Early institutionalization can negatively impact child development and attachment.
  • Understanding attachment patterns is crucial for assessing the effects of deprivation.
  • Romanian institutionalized children provide a critical population for studying deprivation effects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine attachment classifications in institutionalized Romanian children.
  • To compare attachment outcomes between children in foster care, care as usual, and family-reared groups.
  • To investigate the impact of placement age on attachment security.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal study of 169 Romanian children aged 42 months.
  • Comprehensive assessment of attachment classifications.
  • Random assignment to foster care or care as usual (CAU) conditions.
  • Comparison with never-institutionalized, family-reared children.

Main Results:

  • Foster care significantly altered attachment classifications compared to CAU.
  • Children placed in foster care before 24 months had higher rates of secure attachment.
  • Earlier placement correlated with reduced likelihood of disorganized or insecure-other attachments.
  • Cognitive status predicted organized attachment in CAU and secure attachment in foster care/never-institutionalized groups.

Conclusions:

  • Foster care is a vital intervention for mitigating negative effects of early deprivation.
  • Early placement in foster care promotes secure attachment development.
  • Cognitive status plays a role in attachment outcomes across different rearing conditions.

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