Which outcome describes Trust in Trust vs Mistrust?

• A. Trust develops; child feels safe with reliable caregiving
• B. Child questions their identity
• C. Child seeks autonomy
• D. Child develops fear of failure

Answer: (A)

In this stage, the focus is on whether the infant develops trust based on reliable, responsive caregiving. When a caregiver consistently meets the baby’s needs with warmth and promptness, the child learns that the world is safe and that people can be trusted. This sense of safety lays the foundation for hope and healthy relationships later on. If care is inconsistent or neglectful, the infant may grow up feeling the world is unpredictable and others cannot be relied on, which is mistrust.

So the described outcome—trust developing and the child feeling safe with reliable caregiving—fits this early, safety-building process exactly. The other options point to later developmental crises: identity concerns arise in adolescence, autonomy is nurtured during toddler years, and fear of failure aligns more with later stages like initiative vs guilt or related struggles, not this infancy stage.