Why mummy's boys are best

They have long been the butt of jokes. But mummy's boys are now likely to be taken more seriously after research showed that they grow up to be the best husbands.

According to the study of young married couples, sons who have a strong, close relationship with their mother are more likely to be considerate, make their wives happy and enjoy a successful, lasting marriage.

Researchers found 'significant' correlations between men's ties to their mothers and their partners' satisfaction with the relationship.

Celebrities who appear to support their verdict include actors Ewan McGregor and Brad Pitt.

McGregor, married to wife Eve for eight years, enjoys a close relationship with his mother Carol while Pitt, who wed Friends star Jennifer Aniston three years ago, gets on well with his mother Jane.

Mothers help to mould the way their sons deal with women and how good they are at it, said the study.

Close contact with their female parent means mummy's boys are better able to develop intimate and emotionally open relationships.

'If he's very close to his mother he may feel very close to his partner, probably very affectionate,' said Dr Sarah Roberts, of Ferrum College in Virginia.

'In traditional homes, the mother is the first person the children have as their introduction to femininity. Their mother is, for the male child, their first study of what a woman is.

'They watch her behaviour, they watch certain things coming from her, and of course are influenced by everything she may teach them.'

In her study Mummy's Boy or Lady's Man?, women were asked how good their marriage was and how they rated their husband on various factors.

Men were asked how close they were to their mothers. Researchers found that, in general, men who said their mothers 'understood their needs' were described as 'affectionate' by their wives.

Men who had a strong love for their mothers also tended to date women who described them as 'their best friend'.

And those who said they sought to 'make their mother proud' ranked high in terms of their ability to communicate with their partner.

An attentive mother may even influence her son's choice of mate, the annual meeting of the American Psychological Society in Atlanta was told.

Dr Roberts said: 'If the mother is very loving and displays this to her son, he may think "I want a woman like my mother" or "I don't want one like her".'

t.utton@dailymail. co.uk