Mother–daughter communication and health: A cross-cultural comparison

Abstract

Mother–daughter communication about health is one of the most important experiences that young women can have to promote a healthy lifestyle, but the success of that communication depends on a variety of factors. Three factors that influence health motivation and behavior were examined in this study: (1) the frequency mothers and daughters communicate about health, (2) the quality of those interactions, and (3) their country. Participants were 168 female college students (74 from Jamaica and 92 from the United States) who completed online surveys regarding the relationship with their mothers, how often they talked with their mother about a variety of health topics, how they were motivated, and how often they engaged in healthy and unhealthy behaviors. Both the frequency and quality of interactions about health were important, but this effect was stronger for Jamaican women than for Americans. Implications for health research regarding culture and relationships are discussed.