Caregiver–child Interaction, Caregiver Transitions, and Group Size as Mediators Between Intervention Condition and Attachment and Physical Growth Outcomes in Institutionalized Children

Abstract

This report describes a secondary analysis of data from a comprehensive intervention project which included training and structural changes in three Baby Homes in St. Petersburg, Russian Federation. Multiple mediator models were tested according to the Baron and Kenny (1986) causal-steps approach to examine whether caregiver-child interaction quality, number of caregiver transitions, and group size mediated the effects of the intervention on children’s attachment behaviors and physical growth. The study utilized a subsample of 163 children from the original Russian Baby Home project who were between 11 and 19 months at the time of assessment. Results from comparisons of the training and structural changes versus no intervention conditions are presented. Caregiver-child interaction quality and the number of caregiver transitions fully mediated the association between intervention condition and attachment behavior. No other mediation was found. Results suggest that the quality of interaction between caregivers and children in institutional care is of primary importance to children’s development, but relationship context may play less direct mediational role, supporting caregiver-child interactions.

Pakistani orphanage caregivers' perspectives regarding their caregiving abilities, personal and orphan children's psychological wellbeing

“…• In response to this, orphanages should consider a structure that provides ongoing professional support and training in terms of the job description and caregiving skill enhancement for their staff. Gilbert et al, 2009;Govindshenoy & Spencer, 2007;Hermenau et al, 2015;Warner et al, 2017). Even though interactions with caregivers seem to be central to children's well-being (Huynh et al, 2019), there has been insufficient research on factors related to caregiving practices in institutions (Forston et al, 2016).…”

“…It also informs us that there is a high need for validation, empowerment and capacity building that can be met through As training that prompts behavioural changes in caregivers can encourage them to care for children as though they were their parents (Clément et al, 2016), resulting in more warm, sensitive and responsive caregiving that can enhance children's emotional and physical growth (Alem, 2020;Felitti et al, 2019). Prior studies have also recommended that there should be a clear job description, a welldeveloped training strategy and a support system that promotes caregivers' wellbeing and encourages them to establish a sense of involvement and motivation (Forston et al, 2016;Çatay & Kolo glugil, 2017;Warner et al, 2017), as caregivers' capacity to provide emotional and psychological support is crucial for the child's positive developmental outcomes (Smaal et al, 2016;Stith et al, 2008).…”

“…Although research has focused on the wellbeing of caregivers (Darkwah et al, 2017; Gallart & Matthey, 2005; Holzer et al, 2006; Irenyi et al, 2006), only limited research has recognized caregiver well‐being as an area of concern for the development of children who have been orphaned (Çatay & Koloğlugil, 2017; Freisthler et al, 2006; Gilbert et al, 2009; Govindshenoy & Spencer, 2007; Hermenau et al, 2015; Warner et al, 2017). Even though interactions with caregivers seem to be central to children's well‐being (Huynh et al, 2019), there has been insufficient research on factors related to caregiving practices in institutions (Forston et al, 2016).…”

The Correlation between Oral Self-Harm and Ethnicity in Institutionalized Children

“…Therefore, most institutionalized children experience poor caregiver-child interaction and their physical, cognitive and social development is often delayed. Moreover, scientific data showed that these results are caused mainly by the quality of caregiver-child relationships, rather than by the quality of medical care and nutrition [ 13 ]. The inability to live with their parents predisposes institutionalized children to low self-esteem and impaired psychosocial development (attention problems or lower intelligence quotient) [ 7 ], which might represent confounding factors in the analysis of the correlation between self-harm and institutionalization.…”

Developmental Change in Full- and Preterm Infants between the Ages of Three and Nine Months in Institutions with Different Caregiving Environments

“…Although these studies show that the exposure to institutional environments can increase the risk of later adverse developmental outcomes, they do not examine 1 Van Ijzendoorn, Bakermans-Kranenburg, & Juffer, 2007;Warner, McCall, Groark, Kim, Muhamedrahimov, Palmov, & Nikiforova, 2017. 2 Nelson, Zeanah, Fox, Marshall, Smyke, & Guthrie, 2007;Van IJzendoorn et al, 2011;Güler, Hostinar, Frenn, Nelson, Gunnar, & Thomas, 2012;Lomann, Jonson, Westerlund, Pollack, Nelson, & Gunnar, 2013;Vasilyeva, Korshina, Kurohtina, Vershinina, Kornilov, Muhamedrahimov, & Grigorenko, 2017. 3 Marshall, Fox, & the BEIP Core Group, 2004;McLaughlin, Sheridan, & Lambert, 2014;Bick & Nelson, 2016. 4 Bakermans- Kranenburg et al, 2012;The St. Petersburg-USA Orphanage Research Team, 2008;Zeanah, Smyke, Koga, Carlson, & the BEIP Core Group, 2005. the early developmental pattern of delay in relation to the length of time in the institution, especially for those who were institutionalized in the first months of life.…”