The mental and psychological attitudes of successful, obese and normal weight women: in relation to self, others, family and work.

Abstract

Mental and psychological attitudes of successful*, obese and normal weight women were investigated in this study. A total of four hundred ninety-seven women participated in the study, and an attitude questionnaire was utilized in evaluation of attitudes in relation to self, others, family and work. Related studies have largely been experimental types of investigations, while the present study was non-experimental. A very limited amount of research has focused on the attitudes that successful, obese and normal weight women have toward self, others, family and work. The results of the statistical analysis, the one-way between subjects analysis of variance, revealed there were significant *Successful refers to those women who were formerly in a weight reduction program and had successfully lost weight. differences in attitudes toward self when comparing the successful, obese and normal weight groups of women. Analyses of the obese and successful weight groups revealed there were also significant differences among the subdivisions of these groups. When comparing responses to each item, analyses revealed that the successful, obese and normal groups responded differently to a small percentage of the items. Conclusions were made concerning the study. Out of the fifty total items in the questionnaire, only thirteen of them (twenty-six percent) showed any significant differences between the responses when comparing the successful, obese and normal groups. A majority of the null hypotheses were retained in this study. Only a few were rejected. Recommendations were also made for future research. It was recommended that future research include variables such as age, sex, number of children, type of employment and so on. Participants are also needed from several types of diet institutions. It was suggested that any further research give more attention to attitudes toward others, family and work.