Dysfunctional mother-daughter relationship patterns may lead to trouble in developing later attachments. According to research published in the journal "Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy" in 2004, intimate relationship patterns are strongly affected by the types of patterns experienced in childhood. In this study, 1,509 subjects ages 18 to 50 were surveyed about their childhood experiences and their current intimate functioning. Researchers found that subjects who had more positive, loving relationships with their parents had more positive and secure intimate relationships in adulthood. Those with negative relationship patterns may wish to examine this if they find themselves in a pattern of difficult attachments with adult partners.

Research published in the Hungarian academic journal "Psychiatria Hungarica" indicates that the quality of early mother-child relationships may have a lasting impact on self-image and coping behaviors. In this study, Hungarian researchers found that participants who reported negative parent-child interactions tended to show more self-punishing behaviors and scored lower on self-worth measures. The study concluded that the relationship between mothers and children may alter the way dysfunctional attitudes and self-esteem develop, which may lead to disordered eating or other types of self-punishment. Those suffering from disordered eating or self-worth problems may benefit from therapy that addresses past familial relationships in conjunction with current relationship models.

Research out of Utrecht University in the Netherlands reports that the way children resolve conflicts with their parents may spill over into their social relationships. In this study published in the "Journal of Family Psychology" in 2011, researchers found that the way adolescents respond to conflicts with family members tends to be consistent with the way they respond to conflict with friends, setting up a pattern that may be persistent throughout adulthood. Friend conflict also had some effect on the way later adolescents responded to disagreements with their parents, by allowing the teenager an outlet to practice different styles of cooperation. Daughters with dysfunctional models of conflict resolution from their mothers may be at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to finding appropriate means of resolving conflict outside the home.

According to University of Virginia research, negative interactions with parents may predict later depressive symptoms. In this study published in the "Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology" in 2006, 143 adolescents were surveyed, seeking relationships between dysfunctional parent-child interactions -- including withdrawal, anger and autonomy struggles as well as dependent social relationships -- to determine if these strained relationships lead to increased rates of depression. Researchers found that those with dysfunctional family interactions did have more depressive symptoms than their counterparts without this relationship strain. Mother and daughter pairs with difficult relationships may wish to seek resolution early in order to avoid additional mental health complications.