Files and links (1)
PDFOpen Access (License Unspecified), Open Access
Dissertation
Comparison of acceptance-based and standard cognitive-based coping strategies for craving sweets in overweight and obese women
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Drexel University
Feb 2010
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/etd-3219
Abstract
Though obesity is reaching epidemic proportions, behavioral weight management programs have proven to be only moderately effective in the short-term, and minimally effective in the long-term. The limited success of behavioral interventions for weight loss is likely due to the difficulty that participants experience in trying to adhere to the behavioral regimen necessary for weight loss. Most importantly, weight loss and maintenance require strict adherence to a low-calorie diet, which requires the ability to resist food cravings. The present study utilized an analogue paradigm to investigate the effectiveness of coping strategies for sweet cravings. The primary objective of this study was to determine what type of coping strategy would be most effective at helping overweight and obese women manage sweet cravings and whether the effectiveness varied as a function of susceptibility to the presence of food and tendency to engage in emotional eating. Seventy-three overweight and obese women were recruited from the community and were randomized to one of three groups: a standard cognitive-based coping strategy group, an acceptance-based coping strategy group, or a no intervention group for managing cravings for sweets. Because converging evidence suggested that the no intervention group was non-compliant with study requirements, comparisons between the two active intervention groups were emphasized. The overall pattern suggested that acceptance-based coping strategies may offer an advantage in helping overweight and obese women manage and resist acting on sweet cravings. In particular, this study suggests that acceptance-based strategies may be especially beneficial for those who demonstrate the highest levels of susceptibility to the presence of food and tendency to engage in emotional eating. While the findings must be considered cautiously given several limitations of the study design (e.g., problems with the no intervention group and small sample size), the results raise the possibility that acceptance-based approaches may have an important place in obesity management programs.
Metrics
33 File views/ downloads
20 Record Views
Details
- Title
- Comparison of acceptance-based and standard cognitive-based coping strategies for craving sweets in overweight and obese women
- Creators
- Kimberly Lynn Hoffman - DU
- Contributors
- Evan M. Forman (Advisor) - Drexel University (1970-)James D. Herbert (Advisor) - Drexel University (1970-)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Psychological and Brain Sciences (Psychology); College of Arts and Sciences; Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 3219; 991014632295904721