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Updated: Jun 1, 2026

Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design
Published on: May 31, 2021
Pilot study of a cognitive behavioral group intervention to prevent further weight gain in Hispanic individuals with
Mary Weber1, Marco Colon, Monica Nelson
1School of Nursing, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas; mweber@uta.edu.
Background:
Obesity and type 2 diabetes are increasing significantly in the Hispanic population and in the Hispanic population with schizophrenia. In the Diabetes Prevention Project (DPP), cognitive-behavioral (CB) interventions were more effective in reducing weight and preventing diabetes.
Objective:
To test a CB group intervention based on the DPP model among Hispanic individuals with schizophrenia on weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist-hip circumference (WH).
Study Design:
Pilot study using a pre-post quasi-experimental design and convenience sample of 8 subjects from a public mental health clinic who met for 8 weekly group meetings.
Results:
No significant differences in BMI, weight, or WH scores based on t-test results; the subjects' weight remained stable, there was a trend toward weight loss, and no one gained weight during the trial.
Conclusions:
No further weight gain is a finding that merits further research using a larger sample size and a randomized controlled design. J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc, 2008; 13(6), 353-359.
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