Activity Level, Organization, and Social-Emotional Behaviors in Post-Institutionalized Children

Using a parent-report questionnaire, this study examined activity level, organization, and social-emotional behaviors in 124 children ages 36–82 months, adopted from Romanian orphanages. The Romanian children were divided into two groups: 63 children institutionalized for more than six months, and 61 children institutionalized for less than two months, and were compared to age and gender-matched American-born control groups. Each Romanian group scored significantly higher (indicating more problems) in activity level, organization, and social-emotional behaviors than its matched control group. Item analyses indicated that parents of Romanian children in the longer institutionalized group rated behaviors significantly higher in comparison to the control group on 74% of items; shorter institutionalized children were rated significantly higher than controls on 47% of items. Results indicate persisting effects of early de privation on social-emotional, activity level, and behavioral organization.