BRAINnet ~ media releases

A Christmas visit from the mother-in-law is likely to be less than merry for many families, new research suggests.

But despite the stereotype it is women, not men, who have most trouble with their spouses mothers.

Women typically complained that their mothers-in-law interfered in domestic situations, spoiled their sons and expected them to perform traditional "wifely" roles while ignoring their professional status outside the home.

Social psychologist Dr Terri Apter from the University of Cambridge, who carried out the study, said a visit from the mother-in-law often had the effect of turning the husband into a "Stone Age" male who expected his wife to be a housemaid.

She offered a number of tips to help women survive Christmas with their mother-in-laws. These include keeping calm, giving the mother-in-law specific tasks to do so that she feels useful and avoiding heavy discussions about family relationships.

Back to Media Releases