Personality and Interest Patterns in Obese Adolescent Girls

Abstract

Eighty-eight obese adolescent girls at a medically oriented camp for overweight girls were compared with 42 normal-weight girls at an ordinary summer camp on a number of personality and interest measures (MMPI [Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory], Strong, Semantic Differential, and Sentence Completion). Statistically significant differences were found on all measures used. The obese girls showed unusual narcissism, difficulty in impulse control, considerable social anxiety, behavior immaturity, and depression. They were less imaginative and ambitious in their life goals and seemed to live within a pattern of ego restriction. Obesity appears to be regularly accompanied by consistent personality difficulties of a serious nature, restriction of social and occupational horizons, and faulty perception of significant concepts.