Can enrichment reverse the effects of maternal deprivation or privation?
Bowlby (1951) proposed the Maternal Deprivation Hypothesis that attachment with the mother cannot be broken in the first few years of life without serious and permanent damage to social, emotional and intellectual development of the child. The short-term effects of deprivation include the following: 1. Protest- kicking, screaming, clinging on all an outward show of the fear, anger bewilderment etc that the child is feeling at having its attachment figure removed) 2. Despair- the child is now outwardly calmer, but can still be feeling internally all of the same emotions. Outwardly the child may well appear to be depressed, sad and withdrawn. 3. Detachment- the child tends to treat others all in a similar superficial manner, and if at this point a reunion occurred with the mother-figure the original relationship may have to be re-learned, or rejection of the mother-figure may even occur. The long-term effects of deprivation can include: Psychosomatic reactions (such as developing asthma)
