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The Effects of Early Institutionalization and Foster Care Intervention on Children's Social Behaviors at the Age of Eight
Author(s) -
Almas Alisa N.,
Degnan Kathryn A.,
Walker Olga L.,
Radulescu Anca,
Nelson Charles A.,
Zeanah Charles H.,
Fox Nathan A.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
social development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.078
H-Index - 91
eISSN - 1467-9507
pISSN - 0961-205X
DOI - 10.1111/sode.12089
Subject(s) - psychology , institutionalisation , developmental psychology , intervention (counseling) , competence (human resources) , social competence , foster care , social psychology , social change , medicine , psychiatry , economics , economic growth , nursing
The present study compared the social behaviors of eight‐year‐old previously institutionalized R omanian children from the B ucharest E arly I ntervention P roject ( BEIP ) in two groups: (1) children randomized to foster care homes ( FCG ), and (2) children randomized to care as usual (remaining in institutions) ( CAUG ). Children were observed interacting with an age‐ and gender‐matched unfamiliar, non‐institutionalized peer from the community during six interactive tasks, and their behavior was coded for speech reticence, social engagement, task orientation, social withdrawal, and conversational competence. Group comparisons revealed that FCG children were rated as significantly less reticent during a speech task than CAUG children. For CAUG children, longer time spent in institutional care was related to greater speech reticence and lower social engagement. Using an actor–partner interdependence model, CAUG children's behaviors, but not FCG , were found to influence the behavior of unfamiliar peers. These findings are the first to characterize institutionalized children's observed social behaviors toward new peers during middle childhood and highlight the positive effects of foster care intervention in the social domain.