3 signs you were emotionally abandoned as a child 👆 Emotional abandonment in childhood refers to a child who does not receive the emotional support, nurturing and validation from their primary caregiver. Growing up with parents who were absent, emotionally unavailable, uninvolved or struggled with their own unresolved emotional issues can cause a child to feel emotionally abandoned. As children, we depend on our primary caregivers to meet our 3 core emotional needs. If a parent does not adequat