When a child exhibits significant distress during separation and resists contact upon reunion, which type of attachment is this?

The correct identification of this situation as insecure/resistant attachment is grounded in the specific behaviors displayed by the child. Insecure/resistant attachment typically emerges in situations where a child feels anxiety regarding separation from their caregiver and reacts by becoming very distressed when the caregiver leaves. Upon reunion, instead of seeking comfort, the child often displays ambivalence; they might show signs of desire for closeness but also exhibit resistance, such as pushing the caregiver away or displaying anger.

This pattern highlights the child’s conflicted feelings about the caregiver's reliability. Rather than experiencing the confidence and assurance characteristic of secure attachment or the emotional distancing seen in insecure/avoidant attachment, the child in an insecure/resistant attachment situation demonstrates an intense but inconsistent need for comfort and reassurance.

The other types of attachment styles—secure, insecure/avoidant, and disorganized—reflect different behaviors and emotional responses during separations and reunions that do not align with the description provided. Secure attachment involves distress during separation but seeks comfort upon reunion consistently, while disorganized attachment reflects inconsistent, confused behaviors without a coherent strategy. Insecure/avoidant attachment would see the child appear indifferent to the caregiver's departure and return.