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Response to Leaflets About Eating and Shape by Women Concerned About Their Weight

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 June 2009

Alan J. Blair ,
Vivien J. Lewis  and
David A. Booth
Alan J. Blair
Affiliation:
University of Leicester
Vivien J. Lewis
Affiliation:
Royal Shrewsbury Hospital
David A. Booth
Affiliation:
University of Birmingham
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Extract

Concern about body weight and shape is commonly allied with dysfunctional self-concepts and eating behaviour. When provided with group therapy structured around written handouts addressing these problems, women referred for weight control have improved in their self-esteem, assertiveness, attitudes to body size, control of emotional eating, self-efficacy about weight and susceptibility to cyclic dieting, improvements which were maintained to follow-up. The present study examined the effects of the handouts alone on 27 women who actively attempted to control their weight. Relative to a sample matched for initial scores on the target variables, reported incidences of emotional eating and vigour of dieting were significantly reduced over a period of one year in the sample who received the bibliotherapy. Also, perceived body size, weight assertiveness, self-efficacy about weight control and body mass index all moved in the predicted direction, relative to controls, but not to a statistically significant degree. Such bibliotherapy on eating and shape is recommended as an adjunct to group or individual psychotherapy or to initiate change in clients waiting for professional counsel.

Type
Research Article
Information
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy , Volume 20 , Issue 3 , July 1992 , pp. 279 - 286
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 1992

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