Transitions in the Mother-Daughter Relationship

and questionnaires were administered to the daughters, mothers, and other family members. Two dimensions of the mother-daughter bond are examined: symbolic and interactional. The findings indicate that when daughters become mothers, mothers and daughters tend to reevaluate each other and become more involved in each others' lives. This paper suggests that change in the mother-daughter bond entails a process of redefinition and renegotiation in terms of their relative statuses, their role perspectives, and their family structure.