Facing adulthood alone: the long-term impact of family break-up and infant institutions, a longitudinal study

Abstract

This is the summary of a long-term follow-up study of 268 young people who were infants living in Northern Israel's three pre-school institutions in 1973. In this third, and final, stage of the research it was found that, considering the extent of pathology in their families of origin, the cycle of intergenerational transmission of pathology has been quite limited, and the large majority are functioning adequately or well as young adults. They are, between them, now parenting 115 children, none of whom are in institutional care. Without the backing of a supportive family, life is difficult, and they tend to be sadder, less energetic and less educated than a more advantaged comparison group. Fully two-thirds have had pervasive learning problems, which continue to impact on their vocational options as young adults. However, the intervention of social work counselling has been helpful, and neither pre-school, nor long-term institutional care was found to be harmful in terms of normative living.