Social comparison as a coping strategy among caregivers of eating disorder patients

The aim of the study was to determine any gender differences in the social comparisons made by caregivers of eating disorder patients and to analyse the relationship between social comparison and personality, age of caregivers, self-esteem, duration of illness, duration of treatment and perceived health and quality of life. We also explored the possibility of classifying caregivers according to these variables. Comparison strategies were analysed in a sample of 96 caregivers of eating disorder patients. The social comparison during illness scale, visual analogue scales of health and quality of life, self-esteem scale of Rosenberg and Eysenck Personality Questionnaire were used. In order to explore possible groupings a cluster analysis was performed. A significant correlation between the use of more unfavourable strategies, neuroticism and low self-esteem was found. Women adopted worse strategies and the cluster analysis revealed two sub-groups with respect to comparisons, personality, self-esteem, self-perceived health status and quality of life. The finding of subgroups associated with worse comparison strategies, higher neuroticism, lower self-esteem and a poorer self-perception of health and quality of life could have repercussions as regards the prognosis of eating disorders and, at all events, should be taken into account during therapeutic work with families.