Stranger Anxiety and Separation Protest

• Stranger anxiety fear


  Fear and wariness of unfamiliar people
• Stranger anxiety trigger


  Presence of a stranger
• Stranger anxiety onset


  Around 8-9 months old
• Stranger anxiety behavior


  Crying, clinging to familiar caregiver, fussiness around strangers
• Stranger anxiety development


  Due to increased ability to recognize familiar faces
• Separation protest fear


  Distress at being separated from familiar caregiver(s)
• Separation protest trigger


  Absence of familiar caregiver(s)
• Separation protest onset


  Around 8 months old, peaks at 10-18 months
• Separation protest behavior


  Crying, clinging to familiar caregiver, tantrums, following caregiver
• Separation protest development

  Due to developing attachment and object permanence (understanding caregiver will return)