Romania’s Abandoned Children

“The publication of this book could help to spur efforts to offer foster care and adoption in Romania and in other countries as well.”—Mary K. Rothbart and Michael I. Posner, Times Higher Education

“For those interested in Romania or the region, the book offers an incisive and disturbing portrait of the benighted policies pursued in [the treatment of abandoned children]—and not only by Romania. The book also contains an excellent discussion of the controversies surrounding the issue of international adoption in the Romanian context, which should also prompt thought among those focused on the parallel Russian case.”—Robert Levgold, Foreign Affairs

“Romania’s Abandoned Children…describes the stark disadvantages faced by institutionalized children, whose cognitive development is likely to be irreversibly stunted if they stay in orphanages past age 2.”—Tara Bahrampour, The Washington Post

“When thousands of infants were abandoned, to be raised in large and impersonal institutions, a group of scientists took on the task of understanding how deprivation impacts the psychological, cognitive, and neurological development of very young children. This is a fascinating story with important social, cultural, and policy implications.”—Joan Stiles, University of California, San Diego

“This book tackles one of the most fundamental questions about human development: how do our early experiences shape our brain, body, and character? This is a landmark study of child development.”—Avshalom Caspi, Duke University