Mind Your Mother: The Relationship Between Maternal Attachment, Self-esteem, and Perceived Intelligence in Daughters
Abstract
Mother-daughter relationships have been found to impact daughters’ well-being throughout their life. Further, secure attachment has been linked to higher self-esteem while insecure attachment has been linked to depression and suicidal ideation. Less research has investigated the possible link between maternal attachment and perceived intelligence. The current study investigates the role of maternal attachment as a predictor of daughters’ self-esteem and perceived intelligence. In an online study, 215 women responded to measures of maternal attachment, self-esteem, and perceived intelligence. Perceived intelligence was measured by asking participants to rate their own intelligence, their mother’s intelligence, what they thought their mother would rate their intelligence, and what they thought their mother would rate her own intelligence. It was hypothesized that maternal attachment would predict participant’s self-esteem and perceived intelligence, such that stronger maternal attachment would relate to higher self-esteem (H1) and higher perceived intelligence in all four domains (H2-H5). Simple linear regression was used to analyze all five hypotheses. Analyses show that maternal attachment significantly predicted self-esteem, such that a stronger maternal attachment related to a higher self-esteem, supporting hypothesis 1. Further, maternal attachment significantly predicted self-rated intelligence, perceived mother’s intelligence, and perceived mother’s rating of her daughter’s intelligence, such that higher attachment scores related to higher perceived intelligence in the three domains, supporting hypotheses 2-4. No significant relationship was found between maternal attachment and perceived mothers rating of her own intelligence. Past research in the area has supported the finding that relationships with parental figures contribute to self-esteem, however there is a paucity of research examining the role of maternal attachment on perceived intelligence, bringing novelty to the current study. Overall, this research reflects the importance of healthy parental relationships, as they can have impacts that last into adulthood.
Start Time
15-4-2026 2:30 PM
End Time
15-4-2026 3:30 PM
Room Number
311
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Presentation Subtype
Grad/Comp Orals
Presentation Category
Social Sciences
Student Type
Graduate
Faculty Mentor
Ginette Blackhart
Mind Your Mother: The Relationship Between Maternal Attachment, Self-esteem, and Perceived Intelligence in Daughters
311
Mother-daughter relationships have been found to impact daughters’ well-being throughout their life. Further, secure attachment has been linked to higher self-esteem while insecure attachment has been linked to depression and suicidal ideation. Less research has investigated the possible link between maternal attachment and perceived intelligence. The current study investigates the role of maternal attachment as a predictor of daughters’ self-esteem and perceived intelligence. In an online study, 215 women responded to measures of maternal attachment, self-esteem, and perceived intelligence. Perceived intelligence was measured by asking participants to rate their own intelligence, their mother’s intelligence, what they thought their mother would rate their intelligence, and what they thought their mother would rate her own intelligence. It was hypothesized that maternal attachment would predict participant’s self-esteem and perceived intelligence, such that stronger maternal attachment would relate to higher self-esteem (H1) and higher perceived intelligence in all four domains (H2-H5). Simple linear regression was used to analyze all five hypotheses. Analyses show that maternal attachment significantly predicted self-esteem, such that a stronger maternal attachment related to a higher self-esteem, supporting hypothesis 1. Further, maternal attachment significantly predicted self-rated intelligence, perceived mother’s intelligence, and perceived mother’s rating of her daughter’s intelligence, such that higher attachment scores related to higher perceived intelligence in the three domains, supporting hypotheses 2-4. No significant relationship was found between maternal attachment and perceived mothers rating of her own intelligence. Past research in the area has supported the finding that relationships with parental figures contribute to self-esteem, however there is a paucity of research examining the role of maternal attachment on perceived intelligence, bringing novelty to the current study. Overall, this research reflects the importance of healthy parental relationships, as they can have impacts that last into adulthood.
