Exploring the use of social comparison by individuals recovering from traumatic brain injury.
OBJECTIVE
To explore if and how individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) use social comparison during adjustment to disability. It was hypothesized that comparison activity may change with time since injury.


METHODS
Fifty-eight participants with TBI were surveyed within 1 or 6 months of discharge from inpatient rehabilitation. Group responses to instruments measuring social comparison and other measures of emotional and physical functioning were compared.


RESULTS
Both groups expressed a need for social comparison at a rate comparable to non-clinical populations. The group surveyed at 6 months expressed a greater need for social comparison and scored lower on a measure of mental health, as compared to the group surveyed earlier.


CONCLUSIONS
Individuals with TBI appear to successfully use social comparison, at least early in recovery, with a possible reduction in effectiveness of use with increased time from injury. Possible mediating factors and implications for adjustment and future study are discussed.
Arenth
Patricia M
PM
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. arenthpm@upmc.edu
Corrigan
John D
JD
Schmidt
Lyle D
LD
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012938:Social Perception; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires