Final answer:
Separation anxiety stages include Protest, Despair, and Detachment. Anger and Withdrawal are not standard categories within the definition of separation anxiety in attachment theory.
Step-by-step explanation:
Separation anxiety can be viewed as an emotional distress that occurs in the context of anticipating or experiencing separation from a major attachment figure. The stages of separation anxiety that you've asked about include:
Protest is when the child actively shows signs of anxiety and not wanting to separate, like crying or tantrums. Despair is when the child shows signs of hopelessness as separation persists. Lastly, Detachment is potentially a stage where the child might appear to have moved on, showing less outward signs of distress, but it should not be mistaken as resolution of anxiety; instead, it can represent an emotional distancing or suppression of attachment behavior. Notably, stages such as anger and withdrawal are not typically categorized under separation anxiety within attachment theory, although they may still be part of a child or individual's response to anxiety-producing situations.