Attributions for Previous Failures and Subsequent Outcomes in a Weight Reduction Program

Abstract

This prospective study examines the effects of causal attributions given to previous weight control failures on subsequent success in controlling weight. Adult participants enrolled in a weight control program were screened to identify those who had made previous weight reduction attempts through a formal program. Once identified, subjects (n = 158) were asked to make causal attributions for their previous failures. Subjects were then followed through the 15-week program to determine their degree of success. Subjects who attributed the cause of previous failures to stable, immutable conditions were more likely to have low expectations of success. Low success expectancies, in turn, were associated with lack of goal attainment through the program. The number of previous failures in formal weight control programs was associated with a perception of the respondents that previous failures had stable causes. Neither the number of former failures nor the attributions of their causes were directly related to goal attainment. Practice implications of the results are discussed.