A child exhibits severe anxiety symptoms during trivial events while her parents are planning a divorce. What behavior is she displaying?

The child’s severe anxiety symptoms in response to trivial events indicate a tendency to avoid situations that may trigger anxiety. Avoidance behavior is characterized by an individual's actions to evade perceived threats or discomfort, which can often manifest during times of stress or significant life changes, such as the impending divorce of her parents.

In this context, the child's anxiety may stem from the uncertainty and emotional turmoil associated with the divorce, leading her to find any small event overwhelming or distressing. As a result, she may avoid situations or interactions that could exacerbate her anxiety, suggesting a protective mechanism against her overall emotional state.

Other behaviors like expressive behavior typically involve the outward display of feelings or emotions, while social withdrawal refers to distancing oneself from social interactions altogether. Risk-taking behavior, on the other hand, involves engaging in actions that could be harmful or dangerous, which does not align with the child's anxiety in this scenario. Therefore, the presence of anxiety and the way it manifests in her response to trivial events aligns most closely with avoidance behavior.