title: Personality and the prediction of weight loss and relapse in the treatment of obesity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This prospective study examined whether stable personality traits, as measured by the Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP), predicted initial weight loss or long-term maintenance in obesity patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The KSP was administered to 102 obese patients prior to entering an 8-week weight loss program. Patients were weighed again at the end of treatment and at 3- and 12-month follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The KSP did not predict initial weight loss after the 8-week program. Several of the KSP scales (Muscle Tension, Monotony Avoidance, Suspicion, and Guilt) had weak associations with 12-month relapse status. Weight gain at the 3-month follow-up was the strongest predictor of 12-month relapse status (O.R. = 0.46; 95% C.I. = 0.32, 0.66).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Personality traits, as measured by the KSP, do not appear to be important predictors of initial weight loss or 12-month relapse status. Personality assessment may not substantially contribute to predicting treatment outcome in obesity research.
authors: Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.
authors: W S
authors: WS
authors: Poston
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Ericsson
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Linder
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Nilsson
authors: G K
authors: GK
authors: Goodrick
authors: J P
authors: JP
authors: Foreyt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications; D004038:Diet, Reducing / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000150:complications; D010556:Personality Tests / Q000592:standards*; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000592:standards*; D012008:Recurrence; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013223:Statistics as Topic