Development of self-criticism in adolescent girls: Roles of maternal dissatisfaction, maternal coldness, and insecure attachment

A model of the development of self-criticism in adolescent girls is proposed, in which maternal dissatisfaction leads to maternal coldness. Maternal coldness in turn leans to insecure attachment in the daughter, which lends to self-criticism. This model was supported in a sample of 54 early adolescent girls and their mothers, The relationship between maternal dissatisfaction and daughter attachment was mediated by maternal coldness. The relationship between maternal coldness and daughter self-criticism was mediated by daughter attachment. The implications of these findings for theory and future research are discussed.