Which term describes an infant who becomes anxious before the caregiver leaves and is upset when the caregiver is gone?

Which term describes an infant who becomes anxious before the caregiver leaves and is upset when the caregiver is gone?

• A. Anxious-Resistant Attachment
• B. Anxious-Avoidant Attachment
• C. Disorganized-Disoriented Attachment
• D. Temperament

Answer: (A)

In attachment theory, anxious-resistant attachment describes infants who are highly distressed by separation and then show ambivalent behavior at reunion—seeking closeness but also resisting contact or not being easily soothed. This pattern fits an infant who is anxious before the caregiver leaves because their sense of security is unstable, and who remains upset when the caregiver is gone due to unpredictable responsiveness. It contrasts with anxious-avoidant attachment, where the infant shows little distress at separation and avoids the caregiver upon return; disorganized-disoriented attachment, which involves contradictory or confused behaviors; and temperament, which is not an attachment style but a broader individual trait.

In attachment theory, anxious-resistant attachment describes infants who are highly distressed by separation and then show ambivalent behavior at reunion—seeking closeness but also resisting contact or not being easily soothed. This pattern fits an infant who is anxious before the caregiver leaves because their sense of security is unstable, and who remains upset when the caregiver is gone due to unpredictable responsiveness. It contrasts with anxious-avoidant attachment, where the infant shows little distress at separation and avoids the caregiver upon return; disorganized-disoriented attachment, which involves contradictory or confused behaviors; and temperament, which is not an attachment style but a broader individual trait.