maladjustment

[mal-uh-juhst-muhnt]

noun

1. bad or unsatisfactory adjustment.

maladjustment

/ ˌmæləˈdʒʌstmənt /

noun

1. psychol a failure to meet the demands of society, such as coping with problems and social relationships: usually reflected in emotional instability

2. faulty or bad adjustment

maladjustment

1. Inability to react successfully and satisfactorily to the demands of one's environment. Though the term applies to a wide range of biological and social conditions, it often implies an individual's failure to meet social or cultural expectations. In psychology, the term generally refers to unsatisfactory behavior patterns that cause anxiety and require psychotherapy.

Word History and Origins

Origin of maladjustment¹

First recorded in 1825–35; mal- + adjustment

Example Sentences

To be clear: I am not suggesting that intelligence across the full range of scores is generally related to maladjustment.

From Scientific American

Studies show that child survivors of a parent’s suicide might as adults be susceptible to depression, social maladjustment and post-traumatic stress disorder.

From Golf Digest

Child victims of a parent's suicide often are susceptible to depression, social maladjustment and post-traumatic stress disorder.

From Golf Digest

“I see. And that is where those trifling maladjustments come in which you mentioned awhile ago—steel, hydroponics and so on.”

From Literature

A Western observer might shrink in horror from this practice, imagining long-lasting emotional maladjustments from early trauma.

From Washington Post

Related Words

• insanity 
• mental disorder