Psychological Aspects of Childhood Obesity: A Controlled Study in a Clinical and Nonclinical Sample

Abstract

Explored the relationship between obesity and psycholsocial adjustment in a combined clinical and nonclinical sample of 139 obese children and 150 non–obsess children (ages from 9 to 12 years and matched for age, socioeconomic status, and gender) who filled out the Perceived Competence Scale for Children; their parents completed the Child Behaviour Checklist. All obese children, independent of their help–seeking status, status, reported more negative physical self–perceptions than their nonobese peers and they scored lower on general self–worth. According to their parents, the obese children of the clinical sample appeared to have more behaviour problems. Findings suggest that psychopathology depends on a clinical obese status, and they provide evidence for a psychosocial at–risk profile for a subgroup of obese children.