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Parent-Child Separation: Title and subTitle BreakIs It Really a Cause of Psychiatric Illness in Adult Life?

Alistair Munro, MD
[+] Author Affiliations

Sunbmitted for publication Jan 17, 1969.

Reprint requests to the Department of Psychiatry, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, 15 England.


Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1969;20(5):598-604. doi:10.1001/archpsyc.1969.01740170102015
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THE available methods of investigating parental deprivation in all its forms are crude and unsatisfactory. The evidence that deprivation is an important etiological factor in various forms of psychiatric illness once appeared overwhelming,1-3 but nowadays this is no longer uncritically acceptable.4,5 It has become obvious that deprivation is an extremely complex phenomenon and, while it may play some part in the causation of certain psychiatric disorders, the nature of the relationship between deprivation and illness is much less clear-cut than was once thought. Re-evaluation of our available data is necessary so that we may devise more meaningful methods to investigate the effects of parental dperivation.

This article reviews briefly some of the more reliable reports on deprivation due to physical separation of parent and child (for example, by parental absence or death, or by the child's having to be in hospital). It also attempts to evaluate the alleged

REFERENCES

Bowlby, J.:  The Influence of Early Environment , Int J Psychoanal 21:154-178 ( (April) ) 1940;.
Spitz, R.A.:  Hospitalism: An Inquiry Into the Genesis of Psychiatric Conditions in Early Childhood , Psychoanal Stud Child 1:53-74 ( (Feb) ) 1945;.
Bowlby, J.: " Childhood Bereavement and Psychiatric Illness ," in Richter, (ed.): Aspects of Psychiatric Research , London: Oxford University Press, 1962;.
Casler, L.: Maternal Deprivation:  A Critical Review of the Literature , Monogr Soc Res Child Develop 26 , No. (2) , 1961;.
Munro, A.:  The Theoretical Importance of Parental Deprivation in the Aetiology of Psychiatric Illness: A Critical Review , Applied Soc Stud , to be published.
Munro, A.:  Childhood Parent-Loss in a Psychiatrically Normal Population , Brit J Prev Soc Med 19:69-79 ( (April) ) 1965;.
Munro, A., and Griffiths, A.B.:  Some Psychiatric Non-sequelae of Childhood Bereavement , Brit J Psychiat 115:to be published.
Earle, A.M., and Earle, B.V.:  Early Maternal Deprivation and Later Psychiatric Illness , Amer J Orthopsychiat 31:181-186 ( (Jan) ) 1961;.
Bruhn, J.G., and McCulloch, J.W.:  Parental Deprivation Among Attempted Suicides , Brit J Psychiat Soc Work 6:186-191 ( (Oct) ) 1962;.
Stengel, E.:  Further Studies on Pathological Wandering , J Ment Sci 89:224-241 ( (April) ) 1943;.
Madow, L., and Hardy, S.E.:  Incidence and Analysis of the Broken Family in the Background of Neurosis , Amer J Orthopsychiat 17:521-528 ( (July) ) 1947;.
Ingham, H.V.:  A Statistical Study of Family Relationships in Psychoneurosis , Amer J Psychiat 106:91, 1949;.
Oltman, J.E.; McGarry, J.J.; and Friedmann, S.:  Parental Deprivation and the "Broken Home" in Dementia Precox and Other Mental Disorders , Amer J Psychiat 108:685-694 ( (March) ) 1952;.
Barry, H., Jr., and Lindemann, E.:  Critical Ages for Maternal Bereavement in Psychoneuroses , Psychosom Med 22:166-181 ( (May-June) ) 1960;.
Norton, A.:  Incidence of Neurosis Related to Maternal Age and Birth Order , Brit J Soc Med 6:253-258 ( (Oct) ) 1952;.
Wahl, C.W.:  Some Antecedent Factors in the Family Histories of 568 Male Schizophrenics of the US Navy , Amer J psychiat 113:201-210 ( (sept) ) 1956;.
Hilgard, J.R., and Newman, M.F.:  Parental Loss by Death in Childhood as an Etiological Factor Among Schizophrenic and Alcoholic Patients Compared with a Non-patient Community Sample , J Nerv Ment Dis 137:14-28 ( (July) ) 1963;.
Lidz, R.W., and Lidz, T.:  The Family Environment of Schizophrenic Patients , Amer J Psychiat 106:332-345 ( (Nov) ) 1949;.
Pitts, F.N., et al:  Adult Psychiatric Illness Assessed for Childhood Parental Loss and Psychiatric Illness in Family Members , Amer J Psychiat 121( (suppl) ):i-x (June) 1965;.
Granville-Grossman, K.L.:  Early Bereavement and Schizophrenia , Brit J Psychiat 112:1027-1034 ( (Oct) ) 1966;.
Brill, N.Q., and Liston, E.H., Jr.:  Parental Loss in Adults With Emotional Disorders , Arch Gen Psychiat 14:307-314 ( (March) ) 1966;.
Stenstedt, Å.:  A Study in Manic-Depressive Psychosis , Acta Psychiat Neurol Scand , (suppl 79) , 1952;.
Stenstedt, Å.:  Involutional Melancholia , Acta Psychiat Scand , (suppl 127) , 1959;.
Brown, F.:  Depression and Childhood Bereavement , J Ment Sci 107:754-777 ( (July) ) 1961;.
Dennehy, C.M.:  Childhood Bereavement and Psychiatric Illness , Brit J Psychiat 112:1049-1069 ( (Oct) ) 1966;.
Birk, A.:  The Bereaved Child , Ment Health 25:9-11 ( (Feb) ) 1966;.
Hill, O.W., and Price, J.S.:  Childhood Bereavement and Adult Depression , Brit J Psychiat 113:743-752 ( (July) ) 1967;.
Gay, M.J., and Tonge, W.L.:  The Late Effects of Loss of Parents in Childhood , Brit J Psychiat 113:753-760 ( (July) ) 1967;.
Munro, A.:  Parental Deprivation in Depressive Patients , Brit J Psychiat 112:443-457 ( (May) ) 1966;.
Beck, A.T.; Sethi, B.B.; and Tuthill, R.W.:  Childhood Bereavement and Adult Depression , Arch Gen Psychiat 9:295-302 ( (Sept) ) 1963;.
Wilson, I.C.; Alltop, L.B.; and Buffaloe, W.J.:  Parental Beraeavement, in Childhood: MMPI Profiles in a Depressed Population , Brit J Psychiat 113:761-764 ( (July) ) 1967;.
Gregory, I.:  Retrospective Data Concerning Childhood Loos of a Parent: II. Category of Parental Loss by Decade of Birth, Diagnosis, and MMPI , Arch Gen Psychiat 15:362-367 ( (Oct) ) 1966;.
Munro, A., and Griffths, A.B.:  Further Data on Childhood Parent-Loss in Psychiatric Normals , Acta Psychiat Scand 44:385-400 (Dec) ) 1968;.
Granville-Grossman, K.L.: " The Early Environment in Affective Disorer ," in Coppen, A., and Walk, A.(eds.): Recent Developments in Affective Disoreders: A symposium, special Publication, Brit J Psychiat 2:65-79, 1968;.
Hopkinson, G., and Reed, F.:  Bereavement in Childhood and Depressive Psychosis , Brit J Psychiat 112:459-463 ( (May) ) 1966;.
Palmer, D.:  Factors in Suicidal Attempts , J Nerv Ment Dis 93:421-442 ( (April) ) 1941;.
Reitman, F.:  On the Predictability of Suicide , J Ment Sic 88:580-582 ( (Oct) ) 1942;.
Simon, W.:  Attempted Suicide Among Veterans , J Nerv Ment Dis 111:451-468 ( (June) )1950;.
Batchelor, I.R.C., and Napier, M.B.:  Broken Homes Among Attemepted Suicides , Brit J Delingu 4:99-108 ( (July) ) 1953;.
Robins, E.; Schmidt, E.H.; and O'Neal, P.:  Some Interrelations of Socital, Factors and Clinical Diagnosis in Attempted Suicide , Amer J Psychiat 114:221-231 ( (Sept) ) 1957;.
Kessel, N.:  Self-poisoning , Brit Med J 2:1265-1270 ( (Nov) ) and 1336-1340 (Dec) 1965;.
Walton, H.J.:  Suicidal Behaviour in Depressive Illness , J Ment Sci 104:884-891 ( (July) ) 1958;.
Bruhn, J.G.:  Brolen Homes Among Attempt-ed Suicides and Psychiatric Outapatients , J Ment Sci 108:772-779 ( (Nov) ) 1962;.
Bowlby, J.: Maternal Care and Mental Health, Geneva: World Health Organization Monograph, No. 2, 1951.

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Bowlby, J.:  The Influence of Early Environment , Int J Psychoanal 21:154-178 ( (April) ) 1940;.
Spitz, R.A.:  Hospitalism: An Inquiry Into the Genesis of Psychiatric Conditions in Early Childhood , Psychoanal Stud Child 1:53-74 ( (Feb) ) 1945;.
Bowlby, J.: " Childhood Bereavement and Psychiatric Illness ," in Richter, (ed.): Aspects of Psychiatric Research , London: Oxford University Press, 1962;.
Casler, L.: Maternal Deprivation:  A Critical Review of the Literature , Monogr Soc Res Child Develop 26 , No. (2) , 1961;.
Munro, A.:  The Theoretical Importance of Parental Deprivation in the Aetiology of Psychiatric Illness: A Critical Review , Applied Soc Stud , to be published.
Munro, A.:  Childhood Parent-Loss in a Psychiatrically Normal Population , Brit J Prev Soc Med 19:69-79 ( (April) ) 1965;.
Munro, A., and Griffiths, A.B.:  Some Psychiatric Non-sequelae of Childhood Bereavement , Brit J Psychiat 115:to be published.
Earle, A.M., and Earle, B.V.:  Early Maternal Deprivation and Later Psychiatric Illness , Amer J Orthopsychiat 31:181-186 ( (Jan) ) 1961;.
Bruhn, J.G., and McCulloch, J.W.:  Parental Deprivation Among Attempted Suicides , Brit J Psychiat Soc Work 6:186-191 ( (Oct) ) 1962;.
Stengel, E.:  Further Studies on Pathological Wandering , J Ment Sci 89:224-241 ( (April) ) 1943;.
Madow, L., and Hardy, S.E.:  Incidence and Analysis of the Broken Family in the Background of Neurosis , Amer J Orthopsychiat 17:521-528 ( (July) ) 1947;.
Ingham, H.V.:  A Statistical Study of Family Relationships in Psychoneurosis , Amer J Psychiat 106:91, 1949;.
Oltman, J.E.; McGarry, J.J.; and Friedmann, S.:  Parental Deprivation and the "Broken Home" in Dementia Precox and Other Mental Disorders , Amer J Psychiat 108:685-694 ( (March) ) 1952;.
Barry, H., Jr., and Lindemann, E.:  Critical Ages for Maternal Bereavement in Psychoneuroses , Psychosom Med 22:166-181 ( (May-June) ) 1960;.
Norton, A.:  Incidence of Neurosis Related to Maternal Age and Birth Order , Brit J Soc Med 6:253-258 ( (Oct) ) 1952;.
Wahl, C.W.:  Some Antecedent Factors in the Family Histories of 568 Male Schizophrenics of the US Navy , Amer J psychiat 113:201-210 ( (sept) ) 1956;.
Hilgard, J.R., and Newman, M.F.:  Parental Loss by Death in Childhood as an Etiological Factor Among Schizophrenic and Alcoholic Patients Compared with a Non-patient Community Sample , J Nerv Ment Dis 137:14-28 ( (July) ) 1963;.
Lidz, R.W., and Lidz, T.:  The Family Environment of Schizophrenic Patients , Amer J Psychiat 106:332-345 ( (Nov) ) 1949;.
Pitts, F.N., et al:  Adult Psychiatric Illness Assessed for Childhood Parental Loss and Psychiatric Illness in Family Members , Amer J Psychiat 121( (suppl) ):i-x (June) 1965;.
Granville-Grossman, K.L.:  Early Bereavement and Schizophrenia , Brit J Psychiat 112:1027-1034 ( (Oct) ) 1966;.
Brill, N.Q., and Liston, E.H., Jr.:  Parental Loss in Adults With Emotional Disorders , Arch Gen Psychiat 14:307-314 ( (March) ) 1966;.
Stenstedt, Å.:  A Study in Manic-Depressive Psychosis , Acta Psychiat Neurol Scand , (suppl 79) , 1952;.
Stenstedt, Å.:  Involutional Melancholia , Acta Psychiat Scand , (suppl 127) , 1959;.
Brown, F.:  Depression and Childhood Bereavement , J Ment Sci 107:754-777 ( (July) ) 1961;.
Dennehy, C.M.:  Childhood Bereavement and Psychiatric Illness , Brit J Psychiat 112:1049-1069 ( (Oct) ) 1966;.
Birk, A.:  The Bereaved Child , Ment Health 25:9-11 ( (Feb) ) 1966;.
Hill, O.W., and Price, J.S.:  Childhood Bereavement and Adult Depression , Brit J Psychiat 113:743-752 ( (July) ) 1967;.
Gay, M.J., and Tonge, W.L.:  The Late Effects of Loss of Parents in Childhood , Brit J Psychiat 113:753-760 ( (July) ) 1967;.
Munro, A.:  Parental Deprivation in Depressive Patients , Brit J Psychiat 112:443-457 ( (May) ) 1966;.
Beck, A.T.; Sethi, B.B.; and Tuthill, R.W.:  Childhood Bereavement and Adult Depression , Arch Gen Psychiat 9:295-302 ( (Sept) ) 1963;.
Wilson, I.C.; Alltop, L.B.; and Buffaloe, W.J.:  Parental Beraeavement, in Childhood: MMPI Profiles in a Depressed Population , Brit J Psychiat 113:761-764 ( (July) ) 1967;.
Gregory, I.:  Retrospective Data Concerning Childhood Loos of a Parent: II. Category of Parental Loss by Decade of Birth, Diagnosis, and MMPI , Arch Gen Psychiat 15:362-367 ( (Oct) ) 1966;.
Munro, A., and Griffths, A.B.:  Further Data on Childhood Parent-Loss in Psychiatric Normals , Acta Psychiat Scand 44:385-400 (Dec) ) 1968;.
Granville-Grossman, K.L.: " The Early Environment in Affective Disorer ," in Coppen, A., and Walk, A.(eds.): Recent Developments in Affective Disoreders: A symposium, special Publication, Brit J Psychiat 2:65-79, 1968;.
Hopkinson, G., and Reed, F.:  Bereavement in Childhood and Depressive Psychosis , Brit J Psychiat 112:459-463 ( (May) ) 1966;.
Palmer, D.:  Factors in Suicidal Attempts , J Nerv Ment Dis 93:421-442 ( (April) ) 1941;.
Reitman, F.:  On the Predictability of Suicide , J Ment Sic 88:580-582 ( (Oct) ) 1942;.
Simon, W.:  Attempted Suicide Among Veterans , J Nerv Ment Dis 111:451-468 ( (June) )1950;.
Batchelor, I.R.C., and Napier, M.B.:  Broken Homes Among Attemepted Suicides , Brit J Delingu 4:99-108 ( (July) ) 1953;.
Robins, E.; Schmidt, E.H.; and O'Neal, P.:  Some Interrelations of Socital, Factors and Clinical Diagnosis in Attempted Suicide , Amer J Psychiat 114:221-231 ( (Sept) ) 1957;.
Kessel, N.:  Self-poisoning , Brit Med J 2:1265-1270 ( (Nov) ) and 1336-1340 (Dec) 1965;.
Walton, H.J.:  Suicidal Behaviour in Depressive Illness , J Ment Sci 104:884-891 ( (July) ) 1958;.
Bruhn, J.G.:  Brolen Homes Among Attempt-ed Suicides and Psychiatric Outapatients , J Ment Sci 108:772-779 ( (Nov) ) 1962;.
Bowlby, J.: Maternal Care and Mental Health, Geneva: World Health Organization Monograph, No. 2, 1951.

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