maternal rejection

[/məˈtɜːrnəl rɪˈdʒɛkʃən/]
nounfemininepl: maternal rejections / rejeições maternas
rejeição materna
1. The act or condition in which a mother refuses emotional connection, care, or acceptance of her child
Maternal rejection during infancy can lead to long-term psychological consequences.
A rejeição materna durante a infância pode levar a consequências psicológicas de longo prazo.
2. Behavioral or emotional withdrawal by a mother from her child's needs and development
Studies show that maternal rejection correlates with attachment disorders in children.
Estudos mostram que a rejeição materna se correlaciona com transtornos de apego em crianças.
3. A mother's failure or refusal to provide adequate nurturing, support, or affection
Children who experience maternal rejection often struggle with self-esteem issues.
Crianças que experimentam rejeição materna frequentemente têm dificuldades com autoestima.
This term is primarily used in psychological, psychiatric, and social work contexts in both Brazil and the USA. In Brazilian culture, which traditionally emphasizes strong family bonds and motherhood, maternal rejection is viewed as particularly damaging and is a significant topic in family counseling and child psychology. The concept is widely studied in academic and clinical settings to understand childhood trauma and its long-term effects on emotional and social development.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
maternal deprivationmother rejectionparental rejectionlack of maternal affectionemotional unavailability
Antonyms / Antônimos
maternal acceptancematernal warmthmaternal affectionmaternal bondingunconditional maternal love

Regional Variations

General Brazilian Portuguese
rejeição materna
Standard term used in psychology and child development contexts
Portugal
rejeição materna
Same as Brazilian Portuguese; also sometimes 'rejeição pela mãe'
São Paulo
rejeição materna
Common in academic and clinical settings
Rio de Janeiro
rejeição da mãe
Alternative phrasing sometimes used colloquially

Related Words

attachment disorderparental neglectemotional abusechild developmentbondingpsychosocial deprivationmaternal deprivation syndrome

Related Idioms & Phrases

cold mother
distant parenting
emotional abandonment
lack of maternal warmth
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →