Balancing Relationship and Discipline: The Pressing Concern of Mothers of Early-Adolescent Girls

Abstract

Mothers of early-adolescent girls (10-14 years) often experience difficulties in dealing with their daughters. This study explored the mother-daughter relationship from the perspective of the mothers, to identify their most pressing concern and the strategies that might help them address this concern. A qualitative design employing a feminist participatory approach was used with 2 groups of mothers living in low socioeconomic status (SES) areas of a small city in Ontario, Canada, over a 10-week period. The most pressing concern of both groups was balancing relationship and discipline. Through the use of questioning to explore their issues, the mothers gained the reassurance, knowledge, skill, and confidence to deal with their daughters. This introductory study should contribute to nurses' understanding of the mother-daughter relationship during adolescence, and it offers a small-group strategy that shows promise in assisting mothers to address their concerns.