Adolescent Medicine & Child Psychology

Biography

Biography: Natalia Avdeeva

Abstract

Study is aimed at the examination of the development of a child’s self-image during second and third years of life in families and residential institutions. Basic aim of the study was improvements in early care in Russian orphanages. Theoretical foundation of the study is Vygotsky’s cultural-historic concept and a theoretical framework of social interaction. The sample consisted of 40 children (20 from families and 20 from residential institutions). The experimental procedure included two experimental series: exploration and intervention. The exploration series consisted of 6 situations with mirror reflection and 8 situations directed at the exposure of the cognitive components of a child’s self-image. The results of this series showed, that maximum values had children from families and minimum values - children from residential institutions. We explain the results by different social-emotional and relationship experience of children from different groups. Caregivers in institutions treated a child as a member of a group or as an “object for care-giving”, but not a person. There were two intervention programs. Early intervention program included personal oriented studies, conducted with 20 children from residential institution. The caregivers from residential institutions took part in Caregiver Effectiveness Training program. There was also a control group of children from residential institunion without intervention programs. After intervention programs exploration series of experiments was repeated. The results showed the increase of values in the experimental group (at about 3 times) and no changes in the control group.