Maternal psychological violence towards daughters and its impact on emotional well-being

Author : Mariana Hernandez Tenango

Abstract : Maternal psychological violence against daughters constitutes a poorly visible issue within the family sphere, despite the emotional consequences it can generate in personal and psychological development. This research aims to analyze how psychological violence is perpetrated by the mother influences the emotional well-being of adolescent and young adult daughters, considering the role of gender, family dynamics, and maternal projection as factors that can reinforce these practices. The study will be developed from a qualitative approach using a phenomenological method, as it seeks to understand the experiences and meanings constructed by the participants based on their lived experiences. Participants will include two women over 18 years of age, selected through purposive sampling, who have experienced behaviors of devaluation, constant criticism, or emotional invalidation by the maternal figure. Data collection will be conducted exclusively through individual in-depth interviews. The theoretical framework integrates contributions on psychological violence, attachment, emotional well-being, and maternal projection from classic and contemporary authors such as John Bowlby, Donald Winnicott, Melanie Klein, and Carol Ryff. It is hypothesized that maternal psychological violence negatively impacts the daughters' self-esteem, self-concept, and interpersonal relationships, in addition to being normalized within certain family and cultural contexts. This research is expected to contribute to making visible a form of violence that is frequently minimized, as well as to generate reflections that promote prevention and psychological intervention within the Mexican family context.

Keywords : Maternal violence, daughters, self-esteem, emotional well-being

Conference Name : International Conference on Counseling Psychology, Psychiatry and Mental Health (ICCMPMH-26)

Conference Place : Madrid, Spain

Conference Date : 8th Sep 2026