Maternal Deprivation and Its Consequences
Maternal Deprivation
This essay will discuss maternal deprivation and its consequences. Bowlby states that:
“A child should receive the continuous care of this single most important attachment figure for approximately the first two years of life.”(Bowlby 1951)
Bowlby used the term maternal deprivation to refer to the separation or loss of the mother as well as failure to develop an attachment.
The underlying assumption of Bowlby’s Maternal Deprivation Hypothesis is that continual disruption of the attachment between infant and primary caregiver (i.e. mother) could result in long term cognitive, social, and emotional difficulties for that infant. The implications of this are vast. If this is true, should the primary caregiver leave their child in day care whilst they continue to work?
John Bowlby believed that the relationship between the infant and its mother during the first five years of life was most crucial to socialisation. He suggests if the attachment between the mother and child or the primary caregiver, is continually disrupted it could result in long term cognitive, social, and emotional difficulties for that infant. Bowlby goes on to say that the long term consequences of maternal deprivation might include the following:
• Delinquency,
• Reduced intelligence,
• Increased aggression,
• Depression,
• Affectionless Psychopathy (the inability to show affection or concern for others).
He believed that the disruption of this primary relationship could lead to a higher incidence of juvenile delinquency. To support his theory he carried out a study which he named The Forty Four Thieves study (Bowlby, 1944). He interviewed forty- four adolescent and juvenile delinquents who had criminal records (petty thieves). The aim of the study was to establish whether these juvenile delinquents had suffered any form of deprivation caused by separation of the maternal bond with the child during the early stages of its life.
Bowlby’s findings
This essay will discuss maternal deprivation and its consequences. Bowlby states that:
“A child should receive the continuous care of this single most important attachment figure for approximately the first two years of life.”(Bowlby 1951)
Bowlby used the term maternal deprivation to refer to the separation or loss of the mother as well as failure to develop an attachment.
The underlying assumption of Bowlby’s Maternal Deprivation Hypothesis is that continual disruption of the attachment between infant and primary caregiver (i.e. mother) could result in long term cognitive, social, and emotional difficulties for that infant. The implications of this are vast. If this is true, should the primary caregiver leave their child in day care whilst they continue to work?
John Bowlby believed that the relationship between the infant and its mother during the first five years of life was most crucial to socialisation. He suggests if the attachment between the mother and child or the primary caregiver, is continually disrupted it could result in long term cognitive, social, and emotional difficulties for that infant. Bowlby goes on to say that the long term consequences of maternal deprivation might include the following:
• Delinquency,
• Reduced intelligence,
• Increased aggression,
• Depression,
• Affectionless Psychopathy (the inability to show affection or concern for others).
He believed that the disruption of this primary relationship could lead to a higher incidence of juvenile delinquency. To support his theory he carried out a study which he named The Forty Four Thieves study (Bowlby, 1944). He interviewed forty- four adolescent and juvenile delinquents who had criminal records (petty thieves). The aim of the study was to establish whether these juvenile delinquents had suffered any form of deprivation caused by separation of the maternal bond with the child during the early stages of its life.
Bowlby’s findings