The caregiving context in institution-reared and family-reared infants and toddlers in Romania.
BACKGROUND
We assess individual differences in the caregiving environments of young children being raised in institutions in Romania in relation to developmental characteristics such as physical growth, cognitive development, emotional expression, and problem and competence behaviors.


METHODS
Videotaped observations of the child and favorite caregiver in their 'home' environment were coded for caregiving quality, and this was related to child characteristics. Child emotional reactivity was assessed during responses to interactional tasks. Cognitive development was assessed from child responses to the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. Data regarding problem behaviors and competence were obtained from caregiver report. Children reared in institutions were compared on all of these measures to never institutionalized children to assist gauging degree of impairment.


RESULTS
Children raised in institutions demonstrated marked delays in cognitive development, poorer physical growth, and marked deficits in competence. Individual differences in caregiving environment were associated with cognitive development, competence, and negative behavior among these young children being reared in institutions.


CONCLUSIONS
These data confirm previous findings regarding deficits associated with institutional care and extend our understanding of the impact of individual differences in caregiving quality on the development of young children in institutions.
Smyke
Anna T
AT
Tulane University, LA, USA. asmyke@tulane.edu
Koga
Sebastian F
SF
Johnson
Dana E
DE
Fox
Nathan A
NA
Marshall
Peter J
PJ
Nelson
Charles A
CA
Zeanah
Charles H
CH
D017028:Caregivers; D002668:Child Rearing; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012112:Residential Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012931:Social Environment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires