To help offer the best experience possible, Guilford uses cookies on its site. By browsing here, you acknowledge our terms of use. For more information, see our Cookie Policy.
You can also read Guilford's Privacy Policy.

×
Skip to main content

ALL ACCESS PASS: All Guilford journals for 30 days, just $49.95 | Click on any article to purchase 

Search
Search
Quick Search anywhere
Advanced Search
Skip main navigation

Seven Institutionalized Children and Their Adaptation in Late Adulthood: The Children of Duplessis (Les Enfants de Duplessis)

Published Online:February 2007https://doi.org/10.1521/psyc.2006.69.4.283

Abstract

War, societal and familial upheaval, disease, and natural disasters have resulted in orphaned children throughout time. One societal response to providing care for orphans has been institutionalization or the orphanage. We studied a sample of adults, known as les enfants de Duplessis or Duplessis's children, who were raised in Quebec institutions from birth onward and followed up in late adulthood. Systematic study indicated a high prevalence of adverse outcomes and found high levels of gross psychological trauma and adversity which, moderated by the childhood strengths of the individuals, had adverse effects on adult outcome (Sigal, Perry, Rossignol, & Ouimet, 2003; Perry, Sigal, Boucher, Paré, & Ouimet, 2005a; Perry, Sigal, Boucher, Paré, Ouimet, Norman, & Henry, 2005b). This report describes the experiences of seven individuals in the institutions and their subsequent life history and current functioning. The individual cases reflect a wide range of childhood strengths and experiences of trauma and other adversity in relationship to adult caretakers. While the group overall appears to have had seriously diminished functioning in late adulthood, several individuals had positive outcomes. We hope that by highlighting the potentially adverse effects of institutional rearing on subsequent development into late adulthood, these stories may inform those concerned with the care of orphans.

REFERENCES

  • Ainsworth, M.S., Blehar, M.C., Waters, E., & Wall, x. (1978). Patterns of attachment: A psychological study of the strange situation. Oxford, England: Lawrence Erlbaum. Google Scholar
  • American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 4th Ed. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association, Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS). Google Scholar
  • Bowlby, J. (1969). Attachment and loss. New York: Basic Books. Google Scholar
  • Bowlby, J. (1973). Attachment and loss: Vol. 2. Separation, anxiety and anger. New York: Basic Books. Google Scholar
  • Bowlby, J. (1980). Attachment and loss: Vol. 3. Loss, sadness and depression. New York: Basic Books. Google Scholar
  • Castle J., , Grophues C., , Bredenkamp D., , Beckett C., , O'Connor T., , Rutter M., & The English and Romanian Adoptee Study Team. (1999). Effect of qualities of early institutional care on cognitive attainment. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 69, 424–437. Crossref Medline, Google Scholar
  • Chu J.A., , Frey L.M., , Ganzel B.L., , & Matthews J.A. (1999). Memories of childhood abuse: dissociation, amnesia, and corroboration. American Journal of Psychiatry, 156, 749–755. Medline, Google Scholar
  • Collins W. A., , Maccoby E.E., , Sternbergn L., , Hetherington E.M., , & Bernstein M. H. (2002). Contemporary research on parenting: The case for nature and nurture. American Psychologist, 55, 218–232. Crossref, Google Scholar
  • Dennis W., , & Najarian P. (1957). Psychological Monographs: General and Applied, 71, 1–13. Crossref, Google Scholar
  • Feeney J.A., , & Noller P. (1990). Attachment style as a predictor of adult romantic relationships. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 58, 281–291. Crossref, Google Scholar
  • Goldman H.H., , Skodol A.E., , & Lave T.R. (1992). Revising Axis V for DSM–IV: A review of measures of social functioning. American Journal of Psychiatry, 149, 1148–1156. Crossref Medline, Google Scholar
  • Guyon, L., & Levasseur, M. (1991). Santé Québec Technical Manual 878–08. Québec: Santé Québec. Google Scholar
  • Hazan C., , & Shaver P. (1987). Romantic love conceptualized as an attachment process. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 52, 511–524. Crossref Medline, Google Scholar
  • Herman J.L., , Perry J.C., , & van der Kolk B. (1989). Childhood trauma in borderline personality disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 146, 490–95. Crossref Medline, Google Scholar
  • Hodges J., , & Tizard B. (1989). Social and family relationships of ex–institutional adolescents. Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry, 30, 77–97. Crossref Medline, Google Scholar
  • Ilfeld F.W. (1976). Further validation of the Psychiatric Symptom Index. Psychol Rep, 39, 1215–1228. Crossref, Google Scholar
  • Ilfeld F.W. (1978). Psychological status of community residents along demographic dimensions. Archives of General Psychiatry, 39, 716–724. Crossref, Google Scholar
  • Kotler T., , Buzwell S., , & Romeo Y. (1994). Avoidant attachment as a risk factor for health. British Journal of Medical Psychology, 67, 237–245. Crossref Medline, Google Scholar
  • [Kovess V: Les indicateurs de sante mentale. Psycho–Social Research Unit, Douglas Hospital Center, Verdun, Quebec.] Google Scholar
  • Luborsky, L.L., & Crits–Chirstoph, P. (1991). Understanding transference. New York: Basic Books. Google Scholar
  • Malouin, M.–P. (1996). L'univers des Enfants en Difficulté au Québec entre 1940 et 1960. Montréal: Bellarmin. Google Scholar
  • O'Connor T., , Rutter M., & the English and Romanian Adoptee Study Team (2000). Attachment disorder behavior following severe deprivation: Extension and longitudinal follow–up. Journal of the Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 39, 703–712. Crossref Medline, Google Scholar
  • Parker. (1994). Google Scholar
  • Parker G.B., , Barrett E.A., , & Hickie I.B. (1992). From nurture to network: Examining links between perceptions of parenting received in childhood and social bonds in adulthood. American Journal of Psychiatry 149, 877–885. Crossref Medline, Google Scholar
  • Perry J.C. (2001). A pilot study of defenses in personality disorders entering psychotherapy. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disorders, 189, 651–660. Crossref Medline, Google Scholar
  • Perry, J.C., & Henry, M. (2004). Studying defense mechanisms in psychotherapy using the Defense Mechanism Rating Scales. In U. Hentschel, G. Smith, J. Draguns, & W. Ehlers (Eds.), Defense mechanisms: Theoretical, research and clinical perspectives (pp. 165–192). Amsterdam: Elsevier. Google Scholar
  • Perry, J.C., Herman, J.L., & van der Kolk, B. (1992). Rating guidelines for the Traumatic Antecedents Interview (TAI). Montreal: authors.A Google Scholar
  • Perry J.C., , Hoglend P., , Shear K., , Vaillant G.E., , Horowitz M.J., , Kardos M.E., , Bille H., & Kagan D. (1998). Field Trial of a diagnostic Axis for defense mechanisms for DSM–IV. Journal of Personality Disorders, 12, 1–13. Link, Google Scholar
  • Perry J.C., , & Ianni F. (1998). Observer–rated measures of defense mechanisms. Journal of Personality, 66, 993–1024. Crossref, Google Scholar
  • Perry J.C., , Sigal J.J., , Boucher S., , Paré N., , & Ouimet M.C. (2005a). Personal strengths and traumatic experiences among institutionalized children—Les enfants de Duplessis (Duplessis' children): I. Early experiences. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disorders, 193, 777–782. Crossref Medline, Google Scholar
  • Perry J.C., , Sigal J.J., , Boucher S., , Paré N., , Ouimet M.C., , Normand J., , & Henry M. (2005b). Personal strengths and traumatic experiences among institutionalized children—Les enfants de Duplessis (Duplessis' children): II. Adaptation in adult life. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disorders, 193, 783–789. Crossref Medline, Google Scholar
  • Provence, S., & Lipton R. C. (1962). Infants in institutions: A comparison of their development with family reared infants. International Universities Press. Google Scholar
  • Roy C., , & Perry J.C. (2004). Instruments for the assessment of trauma in adults. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disorders, 192, 343–351. Crossref Medline, Google Scholar
  • Rutter M., , & Quinton D. (1984). Long–term follow–up of women institutionalized in childhood: Factors promoting good functioning in adult life. British Journal of Developmental Psychololgy, 18, 225–234. Google Scholar
  • Rutter M., & the English and Romanian Adoption Team (ERA) Study (1998). Developmental catch–up and deficit following seven global deprivation years. Child Psychiat Psychol, 39, 468–476. Crossref, Google Scholar
  • Rutter, M., Quinton, D., & Hill, J. (1990). Adult outcome of institution–reared children: Males and females compared. In L.N. Robins and M. Rutter (eds.), Straight and devious pathways from childhood to adulthood (pp. 135–157). New York: Cambridge University Press. Google Scholar
  • Santé Québec. (xxx). Mental health instruments: Methodology, scope and limitations—Technical Manual 87–06. Santé Québec, Québec, Canada. Google Scholar
  • Sigal J.J., , Rossingol M., , & Perry J.C. (1998). Some psychosocial and physical consequences in middle–aged adults of underfunded institutional care in childhood. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disorders, 187, 5759. Google Scholar
  • Sigal J.J., , Perry J.C., , Rossignol M., , & Ouimet M.C. (2003). Unwanted infants: Psychological and physical consequences of inadequate orphanage care 50 years later. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 73, 3–12. Crossref Medline, Google Scholar
  • Skeels, H. M. (1966). Adult status of children contrasting early life experiences: A follow–up study. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 31, serial 103, 1–65. Google Scholar
  • Snarey J.R., , & Vaillant G.E. (1985). How lower– and working–class youth become middle–class adults: The association between ego defense mechanisms and upward social mobility. Child Development, 56, 899–910. Crossref Medline, Google Scholar
  • Sperling, M.B., & Berman, W.H. (1994). Attachment in adults: Clinical and developmental perspectives. New York: Guilford. Google Scholar
  • Spitz R.A., (1946). Hospitalism: An inquiry into the geneses of psychiatric conditions in early childhood. Psychoanalytic Studies of the Child, 1, 53–74. Crossref, Google Scholar
  • Vaillant, G.E. (1993). The wisdom of the ego. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Google Scholar
  • Wolff P.E, , & Fesseha G. (1998). The orphans of Eritrea: Are orphanages part of the problem or part of the solution?. American Journal of Psychiatry, 155, 1319–1324. Crossref Medline, Google Scholar
  • Wolff P.E., , & Fesseha G. (1999) The orphans of Eritrea: A five year follow–up study. Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry, 40, 1231–1237. Crossref Medline, Google Scholar
Next article