RELATIONSHIP AMONG SELF-ESTEEM, INTERNAL-EXTERNAL LOCUS OF CONTROL, AND WEIGHT CHANGE AFTER PARTICIPATION IN A WEIGHT-REDUCTION PROGRAM

This report covers 15 to 47 months of follow-up study of 66 obese wome n who participated in a 10-week weight reduction program. Subjects wer e divided into three self-esteem groups and into two groups of ''inter nal'' and ''external'' subjects. The average weight regain during the follow-up period was 3.1 kg, although all subjects remained below thei r pretreatment weight. The higher the self-esteem score, the lower the average weight regain during follow-up (1.7 kg, 2.6 kg, and 3.5 kg, r espectively). For internals the average weight regain was 1.8 kg and f or externals 3.4 kg. Implications are discussed, and suggestions for i mproved weight reduction programs are presented.