Experimenter Contact and Self-Monitoring of Weight with the Mentally Retarded

SummaryThirty-two overweight institutionalized mildly retarded adults were studied using a 4 × 2 factorial design to determine the effect of self-monitoring of weight, and experimenter (E) contact on weight reduction. Weight loss at return to base and in the follow-up period was not affected by self-monitoring, whereas E contact significantly enhanced effects. With regard to self-monitoring, trends indicated that this technique may have exerted some effect on weight loss at both periods. The group recording their weight tended to lose more weight than a group both recording weight and receiving the instructions to reduce weight. Suggestions for future studies are made.