Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessments (AEPA) 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

The presence of an anal fixation during toilet training can lead to the development of an anal retentive personality. This personality trait is characterized by being highly organized, perfectionistic, and often excessively controlling. The theory behind this stems from Sigmund Freud's psychosexual stages of development, particularly the anal stage, which occurs roughly between the ages of 18 months and 3 years.

During this stage, the way a child deals with toilet training can profoundly influence their adult personality. If a child's experience is marked by overly strict or harsh toilet training, they may become focused on orderliness and control in their lives. This can manifest as being meticulous, anxious about making mistakes, and demonstrating rigidity in routines or standards.

In contrast, an anal explosive personality, which is not the correct choice, would arise from a different circumstance related to toilet training. Individuals with this trait tend to be more disorganized and may exhibit behaviors associated with a less structured approach to cleanliness and order. The other mentioned personality traits, creative and dependent, do not have a direct correlation with the experiences related to toilet training in the anal psychosexual stage. Hence, the development of an anal retentive personality in response to anal fixation during toilet training is well-supported by psychoanalytic theory.