Mothers and Daughters: Interpersonal Approaches to Body and Dieting
Submitted by: Eboni J. Baugh, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Family Life
Ogle, J. P. & Damhorst, M. L. (2003). “Mothers and Daughters. Interpersonal approaches to body image and dieting.” Journal of Family Issues, 24, pp. 448 - 487.
Introduction
This article was an interpretive study on the relationship between mothers and daughters with respect to communication about body image and dieting. Researchers focused on the interactions between mothers and daughters to discover patterns of behavior that send messages about body image and dieting. This relationship is a reciprocal one, where both individuals influence and socialize each other about self and bodily appearance (Ogle & Damhorst, 2003). Because of both the verbal and non-verbal communication exchanged within this relationship, daughters tend to mirror the attitudes and behaviors of their mothers.
Methodology
The authors conducted in-depth interviews with 20 pairs of mothers and daughters (N = 40) from suburban areas of a Midwest capital city. Girls enrolled in health and wellness courses offered at area high schools and their mothers were recruited. All of the participants were White, middle to upper-class individuals with the exception of one daughter who identified herself as “mixed”. Mothers ranged in ages from 37 to 47 (M = 43.3 years) and daughters were 15 to 18 years old (M = 16.1 years). The pairs were asked open-ended questions about on physical appearance, and body-related thoughts, behaviors, and interactions with each other.
Main Ideas
Data from this study discovered shared dieting patterns and concerns among mother and daughter pairs. The majority of the daughters described themselves as “recreational dieters” which paralleled the experiences of their mothers. Authors reported that mother behavior in the mid to late adolescence years had the greatest influence on their daughters dieting behaviors. In fact, the three girls in the sample who reported never dieting were the daughters of the 3 mother who also reported never dieting. This highlights the importance of the positive relationship that a mother’s dieting behavior has on her daughter.
From this study, four patterns of communication about dieting and body appearance emerged from the mother-daughter relationship: the direct verbal approach, the avoidance/guardedness approach, the modeling approach, and the laissez-faire approach.
Direct Verbal Approach
Open expression of thoughts and opinions about each others body and what behaviors should be taken. Examples include encouragement (positive statements about body), dissuasion (discouraging the other from dieting for weight loss), and fault-finding (negative, critical statements). In the current study this is the most common method of communication used between mothers and daughters.
Avoidance/Guardedness Approach
Avoiding or evading conversations about body and diet. This is usually done by mothers and daughters who do not want to overemphasis appearance and/or are concerned about hurting the others feelings.
Modeling Approach
Mothers’ body and diet related attitudes and behaviors influencing the same in their daughters. Usually daughters will adopt behaviors that they observe from their mothers and imitate them. This approach could also result in some of the avoidance behaviors discussed. Examples include “fat talk” (making statements about weight gain and/or dislike of body) and preoccupation with body and diet.
Laissez-faire Approach
Mothers and daughters left each other alone with respect to body and diet. These women felt that their opinions about each other were not a needed component of their relationship and/or carried little influence on the others behavior.
Implications for Extension Programs
Extension agents working with parents, especially mothers, can highlight the importance of proper communication about body issues and dieting with their daughters. Parents often feel replaced by the child’s peer group and that they are not a major influence in the lives of their children. In addition, some parents may not recognize the messages sent through their own behaviors and attitudes, and the subsequent action taken by their children. This data provides information to teach parents and children the proper ways to communicate ideas about body appearance and dieting behaviors. It also encourages open, direct communication between mother and daughters about body appearance and dieting issues. Educational programs can be developed to inform parents and children on the four patterns of communication found within this relationship, focusing on the healthy ones.
Conclusion
Mother’s attitudes about their bodies and their dieting behaviors greatly influence the same in their daughters. Regardless of where they reside on the spectrum between embracing a thin female body to rejecting society’s obsession with thinness, mothers and daughters influence each other’s opinions about these issues. This article suggests that this bi-directional relationship and the communication patterns found within should be a focus of parents and those professionals who work with parents.
