Profiles of parents' upward and downward comparisons and their associations with parenting

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore whether there are naturally occurring groups of parents who display different profiles of upward (i.e., comparing with those better off) and downward (i.e., comparing with those worse off) social comparisons, and if these differ on parental symptoms, self-efficacy, and positive parenting behaviors. Background: While social comparisons can contribute to self-evaluation and offer opportunities for self-improvement by providing new information, they may also be associated with less positive parenting. One reason for different outcomes is the type of comparisons (i.e., upward or downward), which has not been studied using person-oriented analysis within the parenting literature. Method: A sample of 187 parents of children aged between 2 to 5 years were included (85% mothers and 15% fathers). Cluster analysis was used to explore profiles of parents depending on their upward and downward social comparisons, and analyses of variance were used to examine mean level differences. Results: Results yielded a four-cluster solution. In general, engaging in upward or downward social comparisons were associated with less positive outcomes. However, parents in the cluster who did predominantly upward comparisons showed more parental symptoms and less positive parenting. Conclusion: The frequency and direction of social comparisons are important, with parents engaging in predominantly upward comparisons showing the greatest vulnerability. Implications: Practitioners can help parents to reflect on their comparisons and to identify parents who focus mostly on others who they believe are doing better.