Abstract
The utility and validity of Bandura's self-efficacy construct was evaluated in a study involving 62 volunteer overweight women. Pretreatment, posttreatment, and follow-up assessments of self-efficacy and weight loss were obtained in the context of a behaviorally oriented weight-reduction program. It was predicted that (a) weight loss would be related to enhancement in personal efficacy, (b) posttreatment efficacy would be a significant and more accurate predictor of weight loss during follow-up intervals than posttreatment weight loss, and (c) self-efficacy would be related to attrition whereas weight loss would not. Results indicate a significant relationship between weight change and personal efficacy during the follow-up intervals. In accord with Bandura's theory, efficacy expectations predicted outcome during the 6-week and 6-month follow-up intervals, whereas posttreatment weight loss was unrelated to later outcome. In addition, completers had a substantially higher level of personal efficacy than dropouts over treatment and, to a lesser extent, over the follow-up period. Some procedural considerations regarding the assessment of personal efficacy are raised, and the relationship between the cognitively based constructs of goal choice and self-efficacy and task performance are discussed. Finally, given the nature and variability of weight-reduction efforts and the overall time span of the study, it is concluded that results attest to the validity and utility of the self-efficacy construct in predicting behavioral persistence and level of behavioral change.
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Preparation of this article was supported by a grant from the Conseil Québécois de la Recherche Sociale (BRS 16 A 81) to the first author, and by a research grant from the Université de Montréal (C.A.F.I.R.) to the second author. The authors acknowledge the assistance of Francoise Trudel in all administrative aspects of this study, including, but not limited to, administration of the questionnaires, coordinating the participation of subjects, and coding the data.
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Bernier, M., Avard, J. Self-efficacy, outcome, and attrition in a weight-reduction program. Cogn Ther Res 10, 319–338 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01173469
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01173469