The Relations among Mothers’ and Daughters’ Social Comparisons and Internalizing Symptomatology: Cognitive and Familial Moderators and Mediators

Past studies suggest that social comparison processes are associated with low self-esteem, negative affect, and internalizing symptoms in adult samples. Initial studies indicate that social comparison processes may also be related to youth’s internalizing symptoms. However, the current literature is riddled with inconsistent findings regarding the exact nature of the relation between social comparison processes and internalizing symptoms. Some researchers suggest that unidentified moderators and mediators may account for these discrepancies. Consequently, the present study examines the interface among social comparison theory, Beck’s cognitive model of depression,, and theories on the environmental, familial transmission of cognitive vulnerability to internalizing symptoms in an attempt to address current limitations in the literature. Extending past findings in the cognitive vulnerability and familial transmission to cognitive vulnerability literatures, it was hypothesized that 1) a negative cognitive triad would moderate the relation between internalizing symptoms (i.e., depressive and social anxiety symptoms) and social comparisons in preadolescent and adult females; 2) daughters’ negative cognitive triad would moderate the relation between mothers’ social comparisons about daughters and daughters’ internalizing symptoms; and 3) perceived parenting and time spent together would help explain the relation between mothers’ and daughters’ social comparisons.

The sample consisted of 120 mother-daughter dyads recruited from the community. Mothers and daughters (11 and 12 year-olds) completed self-report measures on current mood; internalizing symptoms; cognitive triad; direct and indirect social comparisons; and familial interactions (i.e., time spent together and perceptions of parenting). Participants also underwent a sad mood induction in order to activate cognitive vulnerability. Although the hypotheses were not fully supported (i.e., moderation and mediation were not found), several interesting findings emerged. First, daughters’ social comparisons were significantly related to their internalizing symptoms but not their cognitive triad. Second, mothers’ social comparisons were significantly related to both their internalizing symptoms and their views of self, world, and future. Third, mothers’ social comparisons about their daughters were related to both their daughters’ internalizing symptoms and social comparisons processes. Of note, both social comparison content (i.e., academic versus social capability) and symptom (i.e., depressive versus socially anxious) specificity emerged across these findings. Theoretical implications and future research directions are discussed.