title: The Impact of Self-Criticism and Self-Reassurance on Weight-Related Affect and Well-Being in Participants of a Commercial Weight Management Programme.
abstract: Certain psychological and emotional factors can undermine attempts at weight management. Previously we have found that shame and self-criticism were significantly associated with disinhibition and perceived hunger in 2,236 participants of a weight management programme. This effect was fully mediated through weight-related negative affect. The present study examined the impact of self-criticism and self-reassurance on well-being and whether it was mediated by weight-related affect in the same population.
  
  
  
  Participants completed an online survey of measures of self-criticism and self-reassurance, and negative and positive affect associated with weight and well-being.
  
  
  
  Path analysis suggested that self-criticism was significantly associated with decreased well-being, both directly and indirectly, mediated by increased negative and decreased positive weight-related affect. Self-reassurance had a stronger association with increased well-being by predicting lower negative and increased positive weight-related affect. All effects were significant at p < 0.001.
  
  
  
  Self-criticism and self-reassurance were related to well-being in participants attempting to manage their weight, both directly and through their impact on weight-related affect. The positive association between self-reassurance and well-being was stronger than the negative association between self-criticism and well-being. Supporting the development of self-reassuring competencies in weight management programmes may improve weight-related affect and well-being.
authors.affiliation: Cognitive and Behavioural Centre for Research and Intervention (CINEICC), Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Cristiana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stubbs
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pinto-Gouveia
authors.forename: Marcela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matos
authors.forename: Corinne
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gale
authors.forename: Liam
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gilbert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001835:Body Weight; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012649:Self Concept; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012752:Shame; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015431:Weight Loss; D061217:Weight Reduction Programs
keywords: Obesity; Overweight; Psychological aspects; Weight regulation; Well-being