Candy's mother was in a serious traffic accident and was hospitalized for two weeks. During her mother's absence, Candy began to have nightmares and excessive fear that her mother was going to die. Her father had difficulty getting her to stay at school. These behaviours continued even when Candy's mother was released from the hospital. What is Candy most likely experiencing?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Candy's intense fear and nightmares during her mother's absence, as well as her difficulty staying at school, are indicative of separation anxiety, which is commonly seen in children who experience separation from attachment figures. This anxiety can continue even after the attachment figure returns. The other options do not fit Candy's symptoms as well. Generalized anxiety would involve excessive worry and fear that are not necessarily specific to a particular situation or threat. Existential anxiety is a philosophical concept related to inherent human concerns such as death and meaninglessness. Neurotic anxiety involves excessive anxiety related to unconscious conflicts or unresolved psychological issues.

Candy's Mother Was in a Serious Traffic Accident and Was