Interest of the child is centered toward the anal area in which stage?

Appeared in: AIIMS M.Sc. Nsg Entrance exam-2026

Explanation

The toddler age group (approximately 1 to 3 years) corresponds to the anal stage in Sigmund Freud's theory of psychosexual development.
During this stage, the child's psychic energy, or libido, is focused on the anal zone.
The primary conflict involves toilet training, where the child learns control over bodily functions, deriving pleasure and a sense of autonomy from withholding and expelling feces.

Option A: The infant stage (birth to 18 months) is the oral stage, where pleasure is centered on the mouth through activities like sucking, biting, and feeding.
Option C: The preschooler stage (3 to 6 years) is the phallic stage, where the child's interest shifts to the genitals and they begin to identify with the same-sex parent.
Option D: The school-age child stage (6 years to puberty) is the latency stage, where sexual urges are repressed and the child's energy is channeled into social and intellectual pursuits.

Visual 1: Chart - A chart illustrating Freud's five stages of psychosexual development, including the age range, erogenous zone, and primary conflict for each stage. This helps in visualizing the progression and key features of each developmental phase.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Freud's Stages of Psychosexual Development as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Understanding Freud's stages helps nurses assess a child's developmental progress and identify potential fixations or regressions that may signal underlying stress or conflict.
This knowledge is crucial for providing age-appropriate anticipatory guidance to parents, especially regarding developmental milestones like toilet training during the toddler years.
What if? If a 7-year-old (school-age) suddenly starts soiling their pants after being toilet trained for years, a nurse should recognize this as a possible regression to the anal stage. This would prompt an assessment for stressors like starting a new school, family conflict, or abuse, rather than just treating it as a behavioral issue.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key terms in the question: 'interest... centered toward the anal area'.
Recognize that this phrasing directly relates to Sigmund Freud's theory of psychosexual development.
Recall the specific stage associated with the anal area, which is the 'anal stage'.
Match the anal stage's typical age range (1-3 years) to the corresponding developmental group provided in the options, which is 'Toddler'.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Freud's Stages of Psychosexual Development
Stem keywords: child, anal area, stage
Lead-in keywords: which stage
Clinical cues: Age/sex group narrows the expected diagnosis, intervention, or normal reference range.
Negative lead-in flag: false

QBYAt7F0R-Rt2Yx-9q_nI0

Practise the full AIIMS M.Sc. Nsg Entrance exam-2026

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.