MATERNAL LOVE IN THE CHILD'S PSYCHIC CONSTITUTION: A PSYCHOANALYTIC PERSPECTIVE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS

Abstract

This bibliographic study investigates the relevance of maternal love for the formation of a child's psychic structure, based on the principles of psychoanalysis. The central objective is to analyze how the absence of maternal affection can compromise a child's emotional, social, and cognitive development. The qualitative research is based on the work of classic authors in the fields of psychoanalysis and human development, such as Donald Winnicott, Melanie Klein, John Bowlby, Sigmund Freud, Jean Piaget, and Erik Erikson, in addition to drawing on contemporary scientific literature. The analysis highlights that the lack of an emotional bond in the early stages of life can negatively impact self-esteem, the formation of subjectivity, and the ability to form healthy interpersonal relationships, with consequences that manifest into adulthood. It is concluded that maternal affection is a crucial factor for a child's comprehensive development and that its deprivation represents a significant risk factor for mental health, highlighting the need for greater clinical and social attention to this issue.