Which observation is a dangerous sign of sociability after prolonged separation?

• A. The "highly social" child has suffered prolonged separation
• B. The child becomes attached to staff
• C. The child refuses to eat
• D. The child is too quiet

Answer: (A)

After extended separation, some children exhibit disinhibited social engagement, meaning they become unusually friendly and unguarded with unfamiliar adults. This pattern is a dangerous sign because it points to attachment disruption and a breakdown of typical boundaries, leaving the child vulnerable in new or unsafe situations. When you see a child described as highly social in this context, it signals that the coping strategy developed in response to separation is maladaptive, not simply a normal level of sociability. By contrast, forming attachments to staff can be part of healthy bonding in a care setting, and refusing to eat or being too quiet do not specifically reflect dangerous sociability toward strangers.