attachment disorder

noun

, Psychology.

1. an emotional and behavioral disorder arising from a failure to form a strong bond with one’s primary caregiver in early childhood and affecting one’s social relationships in later childhood and adulthood. attachment ( def 3a ).

Word History and Origins

Origin of attachment disorder¹

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

The combination of emotional abuse and overt sexualization resulted in an attachment disorder.

From The Daily Beast