Differences between self- and peer-rated likability in relation to social anxiety and depression in adolescents with mild intellectual disabilities

BACKGROUND: Social anxiety and depressive symptoms are relatively common in adolescents with Mild to Borderline Intellectual Disabilities (MBID). Unfortunately, there are only a few studies that focus on examining processes underlying social anxiety and depression in these adolescents.

AIMS: The aim was to examine the differences between self- and peer-rated likability in relation to social anxiety and depression in the classroom environment.

METHODS AND PROCEDURES: 631 normative non-clinical adolescents with MBID completed questionnaires to measure social anxiety, depression, and the estimation of their own likability by peers. Peer-reported likability was derived from peer-rating scales on likability.

OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Adolescents with higher levels of social anxiety significantly rated their own likability as lower than their non-anxious peers. However, socially adolescents were equally liked by their peers. Adolescents with higher levels of depression were significantly less liked by their peers, but still underestimated their own likability than adolescents with lower levels of depression.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Social anxiety and depression are linked to a biased interpretation of likability, but only depression is linked to actually being less liked by peers. Social anxiety and depression are partly based on similar underlying cognitive biases.