Relational Perceptions in Mother-Daughter Attachments

ABSTRACT

Two-hundred-twenty-one matched pairs of post-adolescent females (Mean age = 20.2) and their mothers (Mean age = 46.5) participated in a study to examine the relational perceptions of mother-daughter attachments by evaluating their perceptions of reported autonomy, intimacy, conflict, self-esteem and quality of relationship. Results indicated that mothers and daughters differed significantly on one measure of autonomy (Family of Origin Scale) and conflict (Mother-Daughter Conflict Scale). No differences between mothers and daughters were found for measures of attachment, intimacy and self-esteem. Findings suggest close attachments yet differences reflective of individuation.