Momma's Embedded Advice: The Relationship Between MotherDaughter Marriage Narratives and Daughters' Marital Satisfaction

Previous research alleges mothers use storytelling and oral histories to educate and socialize daughters on a myriad of topics, including marriage. This study advances this area of inquiry by examining how advice embedded in mothers' marriage narratives enhances daughters' marital satisfaction. Findings suggest per the daughters' recalled narratives that (a) mothers openly share marital experiences, (b) mothers' marriage narratives reflect nine dominant themes, (c) sharing advice embedded in marriage narratives positively predicts daughters having affectionate and sexually satisfying marriages, and (d) daughters who follow advice embedded in their mothers' narratives have higher overall marital satisfaction. These findings lend support to the importance of open mother-daughter communication.