Development: Ainsworth strange situation: practice question

A Psychiatry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Psychiatry · Development: Ainsworth strange situation

Sample item

In Ainsworth's strange situation, an infant who is distressed on separation but is easily comforted on the mother's return and then resumes play shows which attachment pattern?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

C. Secure attachment

Securely attached infants use the mother as a secure base, show distress at separation and are easily soothed on reunion. Avoidant infants ignore the mother on return and ambivalent infants are hard to console. Disorganised infants show contradictory behaviour, linked to maltreatment.

Option by option

  • A. Avoidant attachment

    Avoidant infants show little distress and ignore the mother on return.

  • B. Disorganised attachment

    Disorganised infants show contradictory or fearful behaviour.

  • C. Secure attachment (correct)

    Correct. Distress on separation with easy comforting on return is secure attachment.

  • D. Ambivalent (resistant) attachment

    Ambivalent infants seek contact yet resist comfort.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Psychiatry question

What is the answer to this Psychiatry question?

The best answer is C, Secure attachment. Securely attached infants use the mother as a secure base, show distress at separation and are easily soothed on reunion.

Why is "Avoidant attachment" not the answer?

Avoidant infants show little distress and ignore the mother on return.

Why is "Disorganised attachment" not the answer?

Disorganised infants show contradictory or fearful behaviour.

Why is "Ambivalent (resistant) attachment" not the answer?

Ambivalent infants seek contact yet resist comfort.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Development: Ainsworth strange situation in Psychiatry. Avoidant infants ignore the mother on return and ambivalent infants are hard to console. Disorganised infants show contradictory behaviour, linked to maltreatment.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Development: Ainsworth strange situation?

Learn each diagnosis by its core features and its first-line treatment. Then use the flashcards and the other Psychiatry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.