The Mother-Daughter Body Image Connection: The Perceived Role of Mothers’ Thoughts, Words, and Actions

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study explored whether daughters’ perceptions of their mother’s weight-related attitudes, communication, or actions were most strongly associated with their body image issues. The results revealed that daughters’ perceptions of their mother’s frequency of fat talk (communication) and her enactment of extreme weight-loss behaviors (actions) are important factors in both daughters’ body dissatisfaction and motivation to lose weight. Mothers’ fat talk appears to have the possibility to be especially detrimental, even more so than their extreme weight-loss behaviors. Given these findings, mothers are encouraged to be especially mindful of their critical language regarding their own bodies.