Effects of early intervention and the moderating effects of brain activity on institutionalized children's social skills at age 8

Abstract

The present study examined the social skills of previously institutionalized, 8-y-old Romanian children from the Bucharest Early Intervention Project and the influence of attachment security and brain electrical activity (alpha power) on these skills. Participants included children randomized to an intervention involving foster care [Foster Care Group (FCG)], children randomized to remain in institutions [Care As Usual Group (CAUG)], and never-institutionalized children living with their families in the Bucharest community [Never-Institutionalized Group (NIG)]. A continuous rating of children's attachment security to their primary caregiver was assessed at 42 mo of age. When children were 8 y old, teachers rated their social skills, and the children's resting electroencephalogram alpha power was recorded. Teachers rated social skills of FCG children who were placed into foster care before 20 mo of age as no different from NIG children, and both of these groups were higher than CAUG children and FCG children placed after 20 mo. Electroencephalogram alpha power at age 8 significantly moderated the relations between attachment security and social skills. These findings characterize institutionalized children's social skills in middle childhood within the context of a randomized intervention while highlighting the roles of both relational and biological factors in these developmental trajectories.

Fig. 1.

Teacher-rated mean scores on social skills for CAUG children (n = 44), FCG children placed after 20 mo of age (n = 35), FCG children placed before 20 mo of age (n = 15), and NIG children (n = 36). Results show group differences at **P < 0.001.

Fig. 2.

Moderation of the relation between attachment security at 42 mo of age and social skills at 8 y of age by alpha power at 8 y of age. Results show significant relation only when alpha is high (*P < 0.05).