Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut.
Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.
Health Psychol. 2014 Apr;33(4):332-9. doi: 10.1037/a0032586. Epub 2013 Jun 3.
Social support is believed to contribute to weight loss success, yet the type of support received is rarely assessed. To develop more effective weight loss interventions, examinations of the types of support that are associated with positive outcomes are needed. Self-Determination Theory suggests that support for an individual's autonomy is beneficial and facilitates internalization of autonomous self-regulation. We examined whether autonomy support and directive forms of support were associated with weight loss outcomes in a larger randomized controlled trial.
Adults (N = 201; 48.9 ± 10.5 years; 78.1% women) participating in a weight loss trial were assessed at 0, 6, and 18 months. Autonomy support (AS), directive support, and autonomous self-regulation (ASR) were measured at 0 and 6 months and examined in relation to 18-month weight loss outcomes.
Baseline AS and ASR did not predict outcomes; however, AS and ASR at 6 months positively predicted 18-month weight losses (ps < .05), encouragement of healthy eating at 6 months was negatively related to 18-month weight losses (p < .01), and other forms of directive support were not associated with outcomes.
Autonomy support predicted better weight loss outcomes while some forms of directive support hindered progress. Weight loss trials are needed to determine whether family members and friends can be trained to provide autonomy support and whether this is more effective than programs targeting more general or directive forms of support.
社会支持被认为有助于减肥成功，但很少评估所获得的支持类型。为了开发更有效的减肥干预措施，需要检查与积极结果相关的支持类型。自我决定理论表明，支持个人的自主性是有益的，并促进自主性自我调节的内化。我们研究了自主支持和指导形式的支持是否与更大的随机对照试验中的减肥结果相关。
参加减肥试验的成年人（N=201；48.9±10.5 岁；78.1%为女性）在 0、6 和 18 个月时进行评估。在 0 和 6 个月时测量自主支持（AS）、指导支持和自主自我调节（ASR），并将其与 18 个月的体重减轻结果进行检查。
基线 AS 和 ASR 不能预测结果；然而，6 个月时的 AS 和 ASR 积极预测了 18 个月的体重减轻（p<.05），6 个月时的健康饮食鼓励与 18 个月的体重减轻呈负相关（p<.01），而其他形式的指导支持与结果无关。
自主支持预测了更好的减肥结果，而某些形式的指导支持则阻碍了进展。需要进行减肥试验来确定家庭成员和朋友是否可以接受提供自主支持的培训，以及这是否比针对更一般或指导形式的支持的计划更有效。
