Seven-year-old Andy reacted to his newborn sister's birth by sucking his thumb, a behavior he had quit long ago. His way of coping with his anxiety is in the form of what defense mechanism?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Regression is defined as returning to an earlier or more infantile form of behavior as a way of coping with a stressful situation; for example, a frustrated 8-year-old suddenly reverts to sucking her thumb and carrying around her blanket, regressing to behaviors that were given up years before.

Seven-Year-Old Andy Reacted to His Newborn Sister's Birth by Sucking