THE PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL EXPERIENCE OF MENSTRUATION IN MOTHERS AND THEIR DAUGHTERS.
Item
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Title
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THE PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL EXPERIENCE OF MENSTRUATION IN MOTHERS AND THEIR DAUGHTERS.
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Identifier
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AAI8302512
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identifier
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8302512
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Creator
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GOOD, ROBIN L.
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Contributor
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Laurence Gould
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Date
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1982
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Psychology, Clinical
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Abstract
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It has been frequently assumed that mothers and daughters share a similar experience of menstruation, yet few studies have empirically examined this notion. Such mother-daughter similarity has been proposed on the basis of psychosocial learning theory, or object-relations theory which focuses on the narcissistic elements of the mother-daughter bond. The contribution of heredity in influencing mother-daughter similarity has not been specifically investigated. The present study explored the extent of similarity between mothers' and daughters' menstrual symptomatology and attitudes, as well as the possible contribution of heredity factors.;Subjects were 60 mother-daughter pairs of which 47 were biologic and 13 were adoptive. All subjects filled out the Menstrual Symptom Questionnaire (MSQ), Semantic Differential (SD) rating scales of concepts related to menstruation and the mother-daughter relationship, and a number of items eliciting relevant demographic information and menstrual-related characteristics and attitudes.;The MSQ data were used to test the three hypotheses of this study: (1) mother-daughter pairs would not differ significantly in their reports of paramenstrual symptomatology, (2) biologic and adoptive mother-daughter pairs would not differ regarding the extent of similarity in their reports of paramenstrual symptomatology, and (3) the contention of a dichotomy between congestive and spasmodic symptomatology would not be sustained.;The results are as follows: (Hypothesis #1) The findings were mixed. There was a mild degree of mother-daughter similarity for congestive but not spasmodic symptomatology. (Hypothesis #2) The biologic mother-daughter pairs were not more similar than the adoptive pairs, indicating the likelihood that hereditary factors did not substantially influence mother-daughter similarity in menstrual experience. (Hypothesis #3) A continuum was found between congestive and spasmodic symptomatology.;This study also explored the relationships within and between the groups of variables under investigation: paramenstrual symptomatology as reported on the MSQ, menstrual-related characteristics and attitudes (SD ratings), as well as the demographic information. There were few substantial associations between paramenstrual symptomatology and the other variables. However, similarities and differences between mothers and daughters were evident amongst all groups of variables. Mother-daughter differences in menstrual-related characteristics and attitudes are understood as the result of differing socio-cultural influences prevalent during the eras when mothers and daughters grew up.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
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Program
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Psychology
