Stranger and Separation Anxiety

Abstract

In the second half of the first year, infants show signs of distress when approached by an unfamiliar person and when their primary caregiver leaves. The study of these phenomena underscores the link between advances in the child's ability to mentally represent people and events, along with changes in the emotional tie to the caregiver. Separation anxiety is an important psychological construct within several emotional development theories. While the reaction is normative, some children develop a separation anxiety disorder (SAD).