Marital Adjustment: A Predictor of Better Maternal Relationship

Abstract Marital harmony is an important dimension of parent-child relationship. Present study was an attempt to understand the role of marital harmony in determining quality of mother-teen relationships. The total sample comprised of 300 respondents (100 each of mothers, sons and daughters) selected purposively from four zones of Ludhiana city. A self designed sociodemographic questionnaire was used to identify mothers that fulfilled the inclusion criteria set for the present study. The quality of mother-teen relationship as perceived by mothers was assessed. Marital adjustment of the mothers was also investigated to study its impact on mother-teen relationship. The results of the study revealed that majority of mothers had good marital relationships. Mothers having good marital relations had less conflicts and more realistic expectations from their sons and daughters. Mothers with average marital adjustment were significantly over protective for their daughters than the mothers with good or poor marital adjustment. With increase in marital adjustment mothers became more accepting and realistic in their expectations. Mothers’ protecting and loving attitude for daughters increased significantly with increase in marital adjustment. The marital adjustment of the mothers contributed significantly to the daughter-mother relationship.