The Mother-Adolescent Daughter Relationship as a Sexual Socialization Structure: A Research Review

Abstract

Several recent studies have assessed communications patterns between mothers and daughters in regard to the transfer of sexual information and in general these studies support the conclusion that communication is minimal; however other studies have demonstrated that when communication does occur daughters are more likely to practice effective contraception. On the basis of these findings it is suggested that family planning personnel seek ways to increase and improve mother and daughter communications. In a California survey of 124 mothers with 7th grade daughters 20% of the mothers had never discussed menstruation with their daughters 50% had never mentioned male aspects of reproduction to their child and 68% had not talked about birth control with their daughters. In a study comparing mother and daughter communications for a group of individuals who practiced effective contraception and for a group of individuals who had undergone abortions 50% of the former group and only 12% of the latter group said their mothers had been an important source of contraceptive information. A number of investigators have attempted to explain why the communication level between mothers and daughters is so low. Some of the factors suggested as inhibitory are: 1) the mid-life crisis frequently experienced by mothers at the same time their teenaged daughters are undergoing dramatic developmental changes; 2) conflicts experienced by the mother as she tries to re-negogiate her role relationships with her maturing daughter; and 3) changing cultural norms concerning sexual behavior.