| dc.description.abstract | Behavioral weight loss interventions are considered to be the gold standard treatment in helping overweight and obese individuals achieve clinically significant weight loss. Although standard behavioral interventions produce short-term weight loss success, most do not yield successful long-term outcomes. Positive psychology is the study of positive emotion, character, and institutions in relation to mental health and well-being, and data suggest positive psychological factors are associated with better health outcomes. Few studies have examined the association between positive psychological factors and excess adiposity, or the effects of these factors as they relate to weight-loss treatment outcomes. The goal of this thesis is to examine five positive psychological factors concurrently (i.e., hope, optimism, grit, gratitude, and positive affect) as predictors of weight change (i.e., percent weight loss, percent change in body fat) among obese individuals enrolled in a behavioral weight loss intervention. A series of hierarchical linear regressions were conducted to evaluate the predictive ability of the positive psychological factors on weight change while controlling for age, sex, and pre-intervention body mass index. A total of 123 participants ranging in age from 21-65 years old (45.32 11.08) participated in the study and were included in the present analyses. No significant associations were found between the positive psychological factors and either weight change outcome. Implications, limitations, and areas for future research are discussed. | |
