The regression example provided includes thumb-sucking on the first day of school. This is an example of which defense mechanism?

The regression example provided includes thumb-sucking on the first day of school. This is an example of which defense mechanism?

• A. Regression
• B. Repression
• C. Reaction Formation
• D. Denial

Answer: (A)

When a person copes with stress by reverting to behaviors from an earlier stage of development, that’s regression. Thumb-sucking on the first day of school shows the child returning to a comforting, infantile behavior to manage anxiety in a new, scary situation. Repression would hide distressing thoughts from awareness rather than produce an outward, age-appropriate coping action. Reaction formation involves expressing the opposite of what one truly feels, and denial is refusing to accept reality. The outward return to a younger, childish behavior best fits regression.

When a person copes with stress by reverting to behaviors from an earlier stage of development, that’s regression. Thumb-sucking on the first day of school shows the child returning to a comforting, infantile behavior to manage anxiety in a new, scary situation. Repression would hide distressing thoughts from awareness rather than produce an outward, age-appropriate coping action. Reaction formation involves expressing the opposite of what one truly feels, and denial is refusing to accept reality. The outward return to a younger, childish behavior best fits regression.