When parents are separated from their children, they can often experience negative emotions such as worry and anxiety. Therefore, it is important for all the child’s caregivers to continue to work together and establish a strong routine to support the child in feeling safe and secure, no matter what environment they are in. It is not abnormal for separation anxiety to continue intermittently until ages four or five, as children may still be hesitant to separate from their caregivers and struggle with transitions (Yeary, 2020). Having a strong relationship with a secondary caregiver and a predictable routine are also important tenets for children experiencing separation anxiety. If the baby stops crying and fussing, ruling out being hungry, tired, or needing a change, it is more than likely that their distress is a result of developing object permanence. As babies grow into toddlers (around 12–18 months), the anxiety surrounding separation may become more pronounced, as toddlers’ speech starts developing and they start being able to express how they are feeling.Ī good general rule to determine if a baby’s crying is because of separation anxiety is to see if they stop upon being held by the primary caregiver. Object permanence is the understanding that objects – in this case, the primary caregiver – continue to exist, even when they leave the room (Bowlby, 1958). It is considered normal for babies between the ages of 6 and 18 months t0 display signs of separation anxiety.Īround six or seven months, the concept of object permanence begins to develop. What Causes It in Babies, Toddlers, and Children? However, if the child appears confused or does not show any preference over their parent compared to the stranger, then it may suggest a lack of emotional connection and limited interaction between the child and parent, leading to distress and anxiety. If the child is happy to see the parent upon their return, but still explores, it shows that the child is confident that their parent will eventually come back. The mother then re-entered the room and greeted the child (Ainsworth et al., 1978). To test this theory, Mary Ainsworth developed an exercise called the ‘Strange Situation’ (Ainsworth, Blehar, Waters, & Wall, 1978), where children between 12 and 18 months were put in a room full of toys with their mother.Ī stranger came in, talked to the mother for a few minutes, and then the mother would sneak away while the child interacted with the stranger. ![]() ![]() The term ‘stranger danger’ is a common term used to describe the response babies and young children have toward a stranger. If the child cannot engage in proximity seeking behaviors or find the caregiver when they are in distress, then the separation response – crying – is evoked. These behaviors, also called proximity seeking behaviors, help to develop a secure attachment with their primary caregivers and lead to attachment behaviors such as seeking the primary caregiver when the child is upset or distressed.įor more reading regarding attachment, this article about Harlow’s Monkey Experiments is quite insightful. Separation Anxiety in Psychology: Bowlby’s Theoryīowlby’s (1958) evolutionary theory of attachment states that children are biologically predisposed to form attachments.īabies are born with the tendency to display certain innate behaviors called social releasers, which help ensure meaningful contact with the attachment figure (McLeod, 2017). Coping With Separation Anxiety at School.Dealing With Parental Separation Anxiety.What Causes It in Babies, Toddlers, and Children?.Separation Anxiety in Psychology: Bowlby’s Theory.These detailed, science-based exercises will help you or your clients build healthy, life-enriching relationships. We will also provide exercises for therapists to integrate into their sessions with patients experiencing separation anxiety.īefore you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Positive Relationships Exercises for free. This post will explore the origins of separation anxiety across the lifespan and provide strategies for dealing with separation anxiety in children and adults. ![]() Therefore, knowing the theory behind this behavior and interventions is essential in helping prevent the anxiety from escalating. These behaviors can be distressing for parents and caregivers to witness. Separation anxiety is characterized by excessive anxiety upon being separated from major attachment figures such as parents.ĭespite its origins in childhood, separation anxiety can also persist into adolescence and adulthood and is a risk factor for developing more severe anxiety-related symptoms such as panic attacks and agoraphobia (Lewinsohn, Holm-Denoma, Small, Seeley, & Joiner, 2008).
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