A nurse is caring for a client who states, "I am under a great deal of stress at work, but I am able to forget my work and concentrate on my family when I get home at night." The nurse should identify that the client is demonstrating which of the following defense mechanisms?

Choice A reason : Repression is a defense mechanism that involves unconsciously blocking unpleasant feelings, desires, or experiences from one's awareness. It is a way for the ego to protect itself from things that the individual cannot cope with at the moment. In the scenario provided, the client does not seem to be unconsciously blocking out the stress but is instead consciously choosing to focus on different aspects of their life at different times.

Choice B reason : Compartmentalization is a defense mechanism where an individual separates different aspects of their life, allowing them to handle conflicting values or emotions by keeping these aspects in separate 'compartments' in their mind. This seems to be what the client is doing by separating work stress from family life, thus being able to concentrate on family when at home despite the stress at work.

Choice C reason : Regression is a defense mechanism that leads an individual to revert to an earlier stage of development when faced with stress. An example would be an adult throwing a tantrum when they don't get their way, which is not what the client is demonstrating in the scenario⁴.

Choice D reason : Projection is a defense mechanism where an individual attributes their own unacceptable thoughts, feelings, or motives to another person. For instance, someone who is angry at their colleague may accuse the colleague of being hostile towards them. The client's statement does not indicate that they are projecting their feelings onto others⁵.

Choice A reason : Sitting upright unsupported is a motor skill that typically develops after a baby has gained enough strength and balance, which usually occurs around 6 months of age. Before they can sit unsupported, infants need to develop control over their head and neck muscles, as well as their upper body strength.

Choice B reason : Standing while holding on to furniture, also known as cruising, is a skill that comes later in the first year of life, usually after the infant has mastered sitting and crawling. This skill is often seen around 9 to 12 months of age as the infant's leg and core muscles become strong enough to support their weight in an upright position.

Choice C reason : Transferring an object from hand to hand is a fine motor skill that develops as an infant's hand-eye coordination improves. This skill typically emerges around 4 to 6 months of age, after the infant has developed the ability to grasp objects and has begun to explore their environment more actively with their hands.

Choice D reason : Rolling from side to side is one of the first gross motor skills that infants develop, usually occurring around 2 to 4 months of age. This skill is an important precursor to more complex movements such as sitting, crawling, and walking. It begins with the infant learning to control their head movements and then progresses to rolling over from their stomach to their back and vice versa.