IQ of Children Growing Up in Children's Homes: A Meta-Analysis on IQ Delays in Orphanages

In this meta-analysis of 75 studies on more than 3,888 children in 19 different countries, the intellectual development of children living in children's homes (orphanages) was compared with that of children living with their (foster) families. Children growing up in children's homes showed...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Merrill-Palmer Quarterly 2008-07, Vol.54 (3), p.341-366
Main Authors: van IJzendoorn, Marinus H., Luijk, Maartje P. C. M., Juffer, Femmie
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adopted children
Adoption
Attachment Behavior
Brain
Caregivers
Child care
Child Development
Child psychiatry
Children
Children & youth
Childrens rights
Cognitive development
Cognitive Tests
Comparative Analysis
Delayed Speech
Developmental delay
Developmental Delays
Evidence
Families & family life
Family (Sociological Unit)
Foreign Countries
Foster Care
Foster children
Intellectual Development
Intelligence Quotient
Intelligence Tests
Intervention
Measures (Individuals)
Meta Analysis
Orphanages
Orphans
Preschool children
Residential Care
Risk factors
Standard deviation
Stimuli
Systematic review
Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children
Young Children
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Summary:In this meta-analysis of 75 studies on more than 3,888 children in 19 different countries, the intellectual development of children living in children's homes (orphanages) was compared with that of children living with their (foster) families. Children growing up in children's homes showed lower IQ's than did children growing up in a family (trimmed d = 0.74). The age at placement in the children's home, the age of the child at the time of assessment, and the developmental level of the country of residence were associated with the size of the delays. Children growing up in children's homes show a substantial lower level of IQ (average IQ of 84) than their peers reared in (foster) families (average IQ of 104), and the difference amounted to 20 IQ points. More research is needed to detect the causes of the large IQ delays and to test ways of improving the intellectual development of millions of children in orphanages around the world.
ISSN:0272-930X
1535-0266
1535-0266
DOI:10.1353/mpq.0.0002