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

Abstract

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.