ASWB LCSW Social Work Clinical Practice Exam

What psychological issues may arise from excessive pleasure during the anal stage?

1. Guilt and anxiety about sex

2. Excessive smoking and overeating

3. Controlling or easily angered personality

4. Dependence on others

The correct answer is: Controlling or easily angered personality

The anal stage, according to Freud's psychosexual stages of development, typically occurs between the ages of 18 months and 3 years, when a child's focus is on the control and enjoyment derived from bowel movements. Individuals who experience excessive pleasure during this stage may develop personality traits associated with control and orderliness, or conversely, rebellion and messiness, leading to certain characteristics later in life. A tendency towards a controlling or easily angered personality emerges from this excessive pleasure because it can reflect a struggle with authority and personal boundaries. As individuals transition from the anal stage into subsequent developmental phases, those who derive too much pleasure from this stage may exhibit obsessive-compulsive traits, perfectionism, or a strong desire to dominate, reflecting an internalized conflict over control. This is in contrast to the other options. Guilt and anxiety about sex may stem from different developmental conflicts unrelated to the anal stage specifically. Excessive smoking and overeating can arise from a range of psychosocial factors and may not directly correlate with the experiences of the anal stage. Dependence on others can also be linked to various attachment styles formed earlier in life or influenced by later experiences rather than being a direct outcome of excessive pleasure in the anal stage. Therefore, the characteristics of a