Psychosocial Well-Being of Adolescents Before and After a 1-Year Telephone-Based Adiposity Prevention Study for Families

Abstract

Purpose: Body image and psychosocial well-being play an important role in influencing health behavior of obese adolescents. Effects of family-based interventions on self-image and mental well-being are poorly understood. The effects of a parent-delivered intervention on psychosocial well-being in obese adolescents were investigated.

Methods: A subset of secondary variables from the randomized-controlled Telephone-based Adiposity prevention study For Families (T.A.F.F. study) was analyzed. Multivariate analysis of variance and Pearson correlations were used to examine intervention effects on measures of body image, body dissatisfaction, self-efficacy, self-worth, and resilience and changes of standard deviation score of body mass index (BMI-SDS).

Results: A total of 154 randomized adolescents participated in this study (10-17 years). Body dissatisfaction decreased between baseline and follow-up (p = .013, confidence interval [CI], .03-.29), whereas self-efficacy increased (p = .022; CI, -1.73 to -0.14). Both were independent of the randomization arm. Initial body image was a negative predictor of self-efficacy after the intervention. Changes in body dissatisfaction and self-efficacy were positively correlated with changes in self-worth and resilience but were not related to changes in weight status.

Conclusions: Overweight/obese adolescents have a high level of body dissatisfaction, more pronounced in girls than in boys. Interactions within families during overweight and obesity interventions need to be investigated in relation to adolescent body self-concept.

Keywords: Adolescence; Body dissatisfaction; Body image; Family intervention; Obesity; Obesity therapy; Overweight; Psychosocial status; Resilience; Self-efficacy.