MENSTRUAL ATTITUDE AND MOTHER-DAUGHTER COMMUNICATION: A STUDY AMONG ADOLESCENT GIRLS

Abstract [English]

Adolescence marks a critical biosocial transition from childhood to adulthood, with menstruation playing a key role in the growth and development of girls. For some, the first period is an exciting milestone, while for others; it can evoke anxiety or distress. These emotional responses often stem from societal stigma and the nature of communication between adolescent girls and their mothers during this pivotal time. Therefore, the study focuses on the quality of mother daughter communication at the crucial time of menstruation. The study involved 150 school-going adolescent girls aged 10-16 years who had attained menarche, using purposive sampling to explore the link between mother-daughter communication quality and attitudes toward menstruation. The results revealed significant negative correlations between communication and debilitating, bothersome, and denial components of menstrual attitudes (r = -0.521, p<0.01; r = -0.367, p<0.01; r = -0.210, p<0.05), while significant positive correlations were observed between communication, natural as well as predictable components of menstrual attitudes (r = 0.378, p<0.01; r = 0.403, p<0.01). These findings suggest that girls who experience good communication with their mothers tend to view menstruation as a natural and positive occurrence, whereas poor communication contributes to negative attitudes toward menstruation.