attachment disorder

noun

: a psychological disorder of infancy and early childhood that is characterized by disturbed or developmentally inappropriate patterns of social interaction and is typically associated with inadequate parental care (such as neglect of the basic emotional and physical needs of the child)
Infants and toddlers in foster care are at marked risk for attachment disorders, both because of their earlier maltreatment experience and because they experience attachment disruptions, sometimes frequently.Anna T. Smyke and Angela S. Breidenstine, in Handbook of Infant Mental Health, 3rd edition

called also reactive attachment disorder

Dictionary Entries Near attachment disorder

Cite this Entry

“Attachment disorder.” Merriam-Webster.com Medical Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/attachment%20disorder. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!