One-year-old Tommy is extremely distressed whenever his mother leaves him, yet resists her attempts to comfort him when she returns. Tommy probably has ____ with his mother.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Tommy's behavior of being extremely distressed when his mother leaves indicates that he has formed an attachment to her. However, his resistance to his mother's attempts to comfort him when she returns suggests that he is unsure of her reliability and therefore has an anxious-ambivalent attachment. Children with this type of attachment tend to be clingy and anxious when their mother is present but may resist her attempts to offer comfort when they are upset.

One-Year-Old Tommy Is Extremely Distressed Whenever His Mother Leaves Him