The Mother–Daughter Relationship: What Is Its Potential as a Locus for Health Promotion?

Abstract

In this article we examine the potential influence of adolescent girls on mothers' health-related knowledge and behaviors. Surveys were conducted with 131 mothers and 145 daughters to explore the extent of shared social activities between mothers and their adolescent daughters in a low-income South African community, and the degree to which mothers are receptive to advice from daughters. Eighty-six percent of daughters reported that their mothers had asked them for advice, and 93% of mothers indicated that they would listen to health advice from their daughters. This analysis suggests that the mother-daughter relationship may be a potential asset for culturally viable, community-based health promotion.

Mother-Daughter Communication About Mammography in an Australian Sample

“…Table 2 outlines the marital status and highest level of education achieved for each participant. Consistent with data from culturally diverse samples (Mosavel et al, 2006;Mosavel & Thomas, 2009;Washington et al, 2009), daughters in our sample were more highly educated than their mothers.…”

“…Note that for both pairs, the daughter was substantially better educated (to a postgraduate level) than the mother (no university education), possibly making them a more credible source in the mother's eyes. This pattern parallels previous findings (Mosavel et al, 2006;Mosavel & Thomas, 2009;Washington et al, 2009). …”

“…A preliminary coding frame was developed using a method informed by the principles of grounded theory. Based on initial readings of the transcripts, preliminary categorization of data, and knowledge of themes that had emerged in similar previous studies (e.g., Mosavel et al, 2006), the primary author developed an initial coding frame. Four interviews were chosen at random (two daughters, two mothers) to trial the coding frame.…”

“…Mosavel, Simon, and Van Stade (2006) conducted a descriptive study with a South African sample of 131 mothers and 145 adolescent daughters, and found that 70% of mothers ask their daughters for advice and, of these, 14% reported specifically asking their daughters for advice about health issues. Many mothers (63%) agreed that daughters are more knowledgeable about certain things than they are, and more than a third of these mothers reported that their daughters were more knowledgeable about health-related topics.…”

“…The studies reviewed in the previous section were conducted in cultural contexts that are notably dissimilar to the dominant Australian culture. The studies by Mosavel et al (2006), Mosavel and Thomas (2009) and Washington et al (2009) targeted ethnic minorities or migrant groups in English-speaking Western settings, where daughters were often more educated and more acculturated than their mothers. Thus, the educational and economic gaps between generations were particularly apparent in these previous studies, perhaps enhancing the daughters' perceived status and trustworthiness in the eyes of their mothers.…”