Analyzing Anxiety Through Social Comparison and Cognitive Distortions

Maria is a 28-year-old woman who has recently been experiencing increased levels of anxiety and feelings of inadequacy in her job as a marketing analyst. She finds herself constantly comparing her performance to that of her colleagues and often feels that she is not measuring up. During a recent staff meeting, Maria struggled to convey her ideas because she was so worried about how others would perceive her. After the meeting, she began to ruminate on the mistakes she made, further exacerbating her anxiety.

Using psychological concepts, analyze how Maria’s experiences relate to the following: a) the role of social comparison theory in her feelings of inadequacy, and b) the impact of cognitive distortions on her anxiety. In your response, be sure to define both theories and explain how they are evidenced in Maria's situation.