Social comparison, self-esteem and depression in people with intellectual disability

The present study explores the relationship between social comparison proce sses. self-esteem and depression in people with intellectual disability. Fo rty-three people with mild and moderate intellectual disability completed a dapted measures of self-esteem and social comparison. The social comparison scale offers subscale scores on achievement, social attractiveness and gro up belonging dimensions. The self-esteem scale offers subscale scores for p ositive and negative self-esteem. A significant positive correlation was fo und between positive self-esteem and social comparison on the achievement d imension. Depression was significantly negatively correlated with social co mparison on the social attractiveness and group belonging dimensions, and w ith positive self-esteem. Regression analysis showed that depression was si gnificantly and independently predicted only by social comparison on the so cial attractiveness dimension. The present authors conclude that social com parison is associated with self-esteem and depression in people with intell ectual disability in the same way as it is for people without intellectual disability. Further exploration of social comparison process in people with intellectual disability may inform cognitive behavioural interventions for this group of people.