Date Awarded

1986

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

Department

Education

Abstract

This study compared the personal need systems of obese, underweight, and normal weight college students. The Picture Identification Test (PIT) was mailed to the 1984 and 1985 entering freshmen classes at the College of William and Mary. From the 1984 class, 576 students completed the Picture Identification Test (PIT), and from the 1985 class, 505 students completed the PIT. The PIT data from those subjects who met the classification for the weight groups were included in the study. The criteria for the weight groups were set from the 1983 Metropolitan Life Insurance Company weight tables. Height and weight measurements for group classification were taken from students' physical exams that were sent to the college as a requirement for enrollment. From the 1984 freshmen class, 25 females and 27 males were classified as obese; 49 females and 45 males were classified as normal weight and 74 females and 38 males were classified as underweight. From the 1985 freshmen class, 18 females and 23 males were classified as obese; 45 females and 59 males were classified as normal weight and 51 females and 23 males were classified as underweight.;T-tests were performed on 24 sets of PIT measures. Results from the 1984 PIT data were cross-validated against the results from the 1985 PIT data. The data was cross-validated to insure that significant results found for one year of data remained constant for the second year of data. Eleven PIT variables cross-validated for the 1984 and 1985 female weight groups and seven PIT variables cross-validated for the 1984 and 1985 male weight groups. A weight scale was developed from the significant mean and/or variance differences for PIT measures which discriminated (p < .05) between the obese and non-obese groups. The scales were constructed to predict weight group classification for the subjects and to delineate a female and male need system profile.;The female and male scales successfully predicted subject classification at a better than chance level (p < .01). The Order, Counteraction, Play, Affiliation, and Defendance needs comprised the obese female profile. The needs of Succorance, Gratitude and Sex comprised the obese male profile.

DOI

https://dx.doi.org/doi:10.25774/w4-6tht-8g18

Rights

© The Author

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