Mother-Daughter Relationship and Daughter’s Body Image

The adolescent years are characterized by emotional upheaval and hormonal and physiological changes that often create tension and conflicts between girls and their parents. This research study is based on an analysis of the mother-adolescent daughter relationship, with 46 motherdaughter dyads. This research assessed the effect of the daughter’s body image (independent variable) and her view of her own mother-daughter relationship (independent variable) on her sense of wellbeing (dependent variable). This study used four questionnaires to evaluate the dyadic model: the Modified Gray’s Questionnaire (Body Image), the Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire (LTEQ), the Mental Health Inventory (MHI) for measurement of the subjective sense of wellbeing, and the Relationship with Mother Questionnaire. Study findings show the importance of the adolescent girl’s positive body image on her sense of wellbeing, as well as the centrality of the mother-daughter relationship in the daughter’s body image and wellbeing.