Bowlby's Maternal Deprivation Hypothesis

If an infant cannot develop a warm, intimate and continuous relationship with his mother (or permanent mother substitute) then:

• If the child is under 1 year of age they may not form an attachment
• Or if over 1 year of age they may develop social and emotional problems
• Evidence: Bowlby's 44 thieves study ( 86% of the thieves diagnosed as affectionless psychopaths had experience 'early and prolonged separation from their mothers').

So if Bowlby's Maternal Deprivation Hypothesis is correct then there are potentially harmful effect on development if mothers' go out to work as the child is separated from the main caregiver.