Objective(s): Mothers play a crucial role in shaping teenagers' beliefs about puberty and menstruation, as they convey their attitudes and beliefs to their daughters both directly and indirectly. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between mother-daughter attachment and menstrual distress in adolescent girls.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 347 middle-aged girls using a stratified sampling, living with their mothers, and at least one year had passed since their menarche in Gonabad, Iran, in 2023. The demographics and reproductive checklist, Attachment to Parents and Peers (IPPA), and Menstrual Distress Questionnaire (MDQ) were used. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 26.
Results: The mean (SD) age of the students was 14.8 ± 1.1 years. Mother-daughter attachment scores showed an inverse and significant correlation with menstrual distress scores (r = -0.241, P 0.001). This indicates that as mother-daughter attachment increases, menstrual distress in adolescent girls decreases.
Conclusion: The findings revealed a direct relationship between mother-daughter attachment and a positive attitude towards menstruation, as well as a reduction in menstrual distress. It is possible to mitigate teenage girls' menstrual distress by increasing the mother's attachment
