CHILDHOOD EMOTIONAL NEGLECT AND ITS IMPACT ON EMOTIONAL BONDS IN ADULTHOOD

Abstract

This article sought to understand the repercussions of childhood emotional neglect on affective bonds formed in adulthood, considering the influence of early relational experiences and attachment patterns. It is a qualitative, exploratory study, using a narrative literature review conducted in Google Scholar, SciELO and PePSIC and in institutional repositories, with texts published between 2019 and 2026 and classic works on Attachment Theory; nine materials made up the theoretical basis. The analysis sought to understand how these experiences influence the formation of internal working models, relationship patterns and the replication of behaviors in later relationships. The results indicated that emotional neglect is associated with difficulties in recognizing and communicating affective needs, regulating emotions and establishing secure bonds in adulthood, with possible intergenerational replication of these patterns. It was concluded that this process is not deterministic and can be modified by new relational experiences, and that there is a scarcity of Brazilian empirical studies on the subject, which points to the need for further research.