"In 1945, Spitz investigated hospitalism in children in orphanages and foundling hospitals in South America. He found that the developmental imbalance caused by the unfavorable environmental conditions during the children's first year produces irreparable psychosomatic damage to normal infants. His observations recorded the precipitous decline in intelligence a year after three-month-old infants were abandoned by their mothers.[2] The experiences of the infants in these institutions were captured in a black-and-white documentary called Grief: A Peril in Infancy (1947).[3] Another study of Spitz's showed that under favorable circumstances and adequate organization, a positive child development can be achieved. He stated that the methods in foundling homes should, therefore, be carefully evaluated.[2] However, he still maintained in a comparison between orphanages and nursing homes that even if the former provided good food, hygienic living space, and medical care, the children raised in the former were more susceptible to infections and had higher death rate than the latter due to social deprivation.[4]"
Yep, the death instinct is strange and interesting!
As for attachment theory, the answer is yes. Though Shafarevich cites this guy's orphan study: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ren%C3%A9_Spitz
"In 1945, Spitz investigated hospitalism in children in orphanages and foundling hospitals in South America. He found that the developmental imbalance caused by the unfavorable environmental conditions during the children's first year produces irreparable psychosomatic damage to normal infants. His observations recorded the precipitous decline in intelligence a year after three-month-old infants were abandoned by their mothers.[2] The experiences of the infants in these institutions were captured in a black-and-white documentary called Grief: A Peril in Infancy (1947).[3] Another study of Spitz's showed that under favorable circumstances and adequate organization, a positive child development can be achieved. He stated that the methods in foundling homes should, therefore, be carefully evaluated.[2] However, he still maintained in a comparison between orphanages and nursing homes that even if the former provided good food, hygienic living space, and medical care, the children raised in the former were more susceptible to infections and had higher death rate than the latter due to social deprivation.[4]"
Found the documentary on YT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyVkXaqXOv4&ab_channel=TheNationalLibraryofMedicine