John: The Nine Days, 1969

Director: James Robertson

Country: United Kingdom

Duration: ~43 minutes

Genre: Documentary film

Production: Tavistock Institute of Human Relations

Year: 1969

Description

The film documents the emotional state of a five-year-old boy, John, who spends nine days in a residential nursery while his mother is in the hospital. During his stay, John experiences intense stress responses, including signs of anxiety, despair, apathy, and behavioral disorganization. Despite receiving physical care, the lack of emotional warmth and consistency leads to a marked deterioration in his psycho-emotional condition.

The film made a significant contribution to the understanding of the importance of consistent attachment and emotional responsiveness from adults in a child’s life. It played a key role in reforming child care systems in the UK and beyond, influencing the development of attachment theory and the practice of hospitalizing children.

Significance

• Based on John Bowlby’s attachment theory.
• Illustrates the devastating effects of even short-term separation from the primary attachment figure.
• Used in training professionals in child psychology, social work, and medicine.
• One of the most cited films on early emotional trauma and institutional child care.