Why is it so important to have a healthy mother-daughter relationship?
Recent research conducted by Onayli and Erdur-Baker (2013) has demonstrated a strong association between indicators of mother-daughter relationships including connectedness, interdependency, and trust in hierarchy and measures of wellbeing including self-esteem and life satisfaction for adult daughters. This study expresses the significance of strong mother-daughter relationships well into adulthood, where literature has well established its importance along with maternal care for healthy development during childhood (Barnett, Kibria, Baruch, & Pleck, 1991; Onayli & Erdur-Baker, 2013).
Additionally, a systematic review of the literature by Solomon, Hansen, Baggs, and Lyons (2015) found positive mother-daughter relationships to share rewards and mutuality even during times of conflict. The review concluded despite increasing care demands due to mothers’ physical decline; mothers remain engaged, emotional partners and daughters’ emotional commitment grows, whereas negative or ambivalent relationship quality facilitated burden, conflict, and blame.
There are a few strategies for improving and enhancing mother-daughter relationships. Techniques include having realistic expectations, seeing and understanding things from their perspective, agreeing to disagree, forgiveness, setting boundaries and communicating using “I” statements as opposed to being accusatory or sarcastic. Find out more here <http://psychcentral.com/lib/15-insights-on-improving-mother-daughter-relationships/>
Topic Links:
http://www.motherdaughtercoach.com/MotherDaughterFactSheet.pdf
References
Barnett, R. C., Kibria, N., Baruch, G. K., & Pleck, J. H. (1991). Adult daughter-parent relationships and
their associations with daughters’ subjective well-being and psychological distress. Journal of Marriage and Family, 53(1), 29-42.
Onayli, S., & Erdur-Baker, Ö. (2013). Mother – Daughter Relationship’s links to Daughter’s Self-Esteem and Life Satisfaction. Anne-Kız İlişkisinin Yetişkin Kızın Benlik Saygısı ve Yaşam Doyumuyla İlişkisinin İncelenmesi., 5(40), 167-175. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.usq.edu.au/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=90497620&site=ehost-live
Solomon, D. N., Hansen, L., Baggs, J. G., & Lyons, K. S. (2015). Relationship quality in non-cognitively
impaired mother–daughter care dyads: A systematic review. Journal Of Family Nursing, 21(4), 551-578. doi:10.1177/1074840715601252
