Personality predictors of mood related to dieting

The clinical utility of a model of normal emotional functioning (vs. psycho pathology) and the moderating effects of neuroticism (N) and extraversion ( E) on mood were examined during a 6-week weight-loss trial. Participants we re 40 obese women who completed measures of negative affect (NA) and positi ve affect (PA) weekly during the diet and measures of anxiety and depressio n (Beck Depression inventory [BDI]) at pre-, mid-, and postdiet. Results in dicated that (a) average NA and PA were each uniquely related to postdiet B DI scores, (b) N was significantly related to NA during the diet and postdi et BDI scores, and (c) N and E interacted to predict PA during the diet. Th e results suggest that assessment of personality and normal mood variation may be useful additions to weight-loss intervention and research.