Providing subjects with a choice between treatment interventions was investigated as a means of enhancing outcome results in a behavioral weight control program for children. Subjects in the choice condition (n = 7) were led to believe that they had chosen the type of program they participated in, while subjects in the no-choice condition (n = 8) were assigned to a type of program. In reality, all subjects received the same 8-week treatment package. Posttreatment results indicated that subjects in the choice condition decreased both their weight (measured in pounds) and their degree of overweight (measured on the Weight Index) significantly more than did subjects in the no-choice condition. Choice effects are discussed in terms of implications for emphasizing choice during treatment to improve therapeutic success with overweight clients, as well as with other clinical populations.
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Mendonca et al. (1983) studied this question.
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