Dieting Beliefs Scale

Abstract

The Dieting Beliefs Scale (DBS) is a specialized, 16-item self-report psychometrics instrument developed by Stotland and Zuroff in 1990. Its core function is to systematically assess an individual’s specific beliefs regarding the attribution of causality for their weight status and the outcomes of weight management efforts. The DBS provides a nuanced measure of Weight Locus of Control by distinguishing between beliefs rooted in internal factors (such as willpower, discipline, and personal effort) and those rooted in external factors (such as genetics, fate, environmental obstacles, or reliance on powerful others). Responses are collected via a 6-point Likert scale, enabling researchers and clinicians to analyze the cognitive framework underlying dieting behavior and its associated psychological and physical outcomes.

Keywords

Dieting Beliefs Scale, DBS, weight management, internal control, external control, attribution theory, weight locus of control, eating behavior, psychometric assessment, cognitive framework.

Authors

S. Stotland, D.C. Zuroff

Purpose

The fundamental purpose of the Dieting Beliefs Scale is to provide a reliable and valid instrument that specifically targets beliefs about personal control over body weight. This focus addresses a gap left by more general locus of control scales, which often fail to capture the domain-specific psychological factors crucial to adherence and success in weight loss interventions.

In clinical settings, the DBS is invaluable for identifying individuals who predominantly subscribe to external beliefs, suggesting they may benefit from targeted psychological interventions designed to foster a greater sense of internal efficacy and responsibility. For research, the scale facilitates the systematic investigation of how these cognitive attributions influence motivation, persistence, and the long-term prediction of weight maintenance versus relapse following successful periods of weight loss or dieting.

Construct

The scale measures Weight Locus of Control, defined as the degree to which an individual perceives their weight outcomes and management success as contingent upon their own actions (internal control) versus forces outside of their personal influence (external control). The structure of the DBS reflects a multi-faceted construct, enabling differentiated scoring across several key dimensions:

• Internal Control: This dimension assesses the conviction that personal behaviors, such as discipline, effort, exercise, and willpower, are the direct and primary determinants of weight loss and maintenance. A high score on this subscale is often positively correlated with measures of self-efficacy.
• External Control – Powerful Others/Fate: This factor captures the belief that weight status is dictated by uncontrollable elements like luck, fate, genetics, or that successful weight management necessitates constant professional assistance or powerful social encouragement.
• External Control – Environmental/Stability: This dimension measures attributions that weight is immutable due to fixed biological set points (stability) or that the environment itself—such as the widespread availability of high-calorie foods—renders sustained weight loss practically impossible.

Understanding these distinct types of external attributions is crucial, as the specific perceived barrier (e.g., blaming genetics versus blaming the food environment) can guide the development of the most appropriate and effective psychological strategy for behavior modification.

Validity

The initial validation studies of the Dieting Beliefs Scale established robust validity, confirming its suitability for clinical and research applications. Empirical analysis confirmed the factor structure, demonstrating strong construct validity by aligning the scale’s dimensions precisely with theoretical expectations regarding internal and external control over weight.

Furthermore, the DBS exhibits strong criterion validity, evidenced by its significant correlations with established measures of eating pathology, body dissatisfaction, and general locus of control scales. Importantly, its demonstrated ability to predict adherence to structured weight loss programs and forecast future weight fluctuation underscores its high predictive validity, making it a valuable tool for practical applications in obesity research and treatment.

Reliability

The reliability of the DBS has been consistently supported across various psychometric evaluations. The primary subscales demonstrate high levels of internal consistency, typically assessed using Cronbach’s alpha, which indicates that items within each factor cohere well and measure the same underlying dimension of weight control beliefs.

Additionally, the scale exhibits acceptable test-retest reliability over short to moderate time intervals. This temporal stability suggests that the fundamental cognitive schema related to weight attribution is relatively enduring, confirming the DBS as an appropriate instrument for longitudinal studies examining the lasting impact of these beliefs on long-term weight outcomes and psychological adjustment.

Factor Analysis

Detailed factor analysis was a key component in the development and validation of the DBS. These analyses, often utilizing techniques such as principal components analysis with Varimax rotation, were employed to confirm that the scale is not unidimensional but measures discrete, separable aspects of weight control attribution.

The results consistently support a multidimensional model that successfully separates the Internal Control factor from several distinct factors representing External Control (e.g., Fate/Luck, Environmental Barriers, and reliance on Powerful Others). This confirmed multidimensional structure is a primary strength of the Dieting Beliefs Scale, allowing for a more granular and precise assessment of the complex psychological factors involved in weight management compared to simpler, single-score instruments.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report Psychometrics instrument

Format: 16 items. Responses are scored on a 6-point Likert scale, anchored by 1 (not at all descriptive of my beliefs) and 6 (very descriptive of my beliefs). Several items are reverse-scored to mitigate response bias.

Language Available: English (Original)

Population Group: Individuals actively concerned with, or engaged in, weight loss and weight maintenance efforts.

Age Group: Typically utilized with adult populations, but appropriate for older adolescents.

Population Details: Developed and validated using samples drawn from university populations and specialized clinical weight loss settings.

Test Methodology: Participants are instructed to rate the extent to which each of the 16 statements reflects their personal beliefs. Scoring involves reversing designated items and then summing the item scores to yield separate scores for Internal and the various dimensions of External Locus of Control.

Keywords

Weight control, attribution, psychological assessment, health psychometrics, eating behavior, validity, reliability, factor structure, self-efficacy, Likert scale.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Information not provided in source material.

Affiliation Email addresses: [email protected] (Contact for Ronald Okada, Professor of Psychology, York University)

Correspondence Address: Ronald Okada, Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3J 1P

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Test Year: 1990

Permissions & Fee: The scale was published in a peer-reviewed academic journal and is generally available for use in non-commercial academic research, provided that proper citation is given. For commercial or specific clinical applications, researchers are advised to contact the original authors or the corresponding affiliate, Ronald Okada, to clarify permission protocols and potential fee requirements.

Reference’s

Stotland, S. & Zuroff, D.C. (1990). A new measure of weight locus of control: The Dieting Beliefs Scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 54, 191-203.

Items of the Dieting Beliefs Scale

Instructions: Please respond to the following statements by indicating how well each statement describes your beliefs. Place a number from 1 (not at all descriptive of my beliefs) to 6 (very descriptive of my beliefs) in the box to the right of each statement.

1. By restricting what one eats, one can lose weight.
2. When people gain weight, it is because of something they have done or not done.
3. A thin body is largely a result of genetics. *
4. No matter how much effort one puts into dieting, one’s weight tends to stay about the same *
5. One’s weight is, to a great extent, controlled by fate. *
6. There is so much fattening food around that losing weight is almost impossible. *
7. Most people can only diet successfully when other people push them to do it. *
8. ha‎ving a slim and fit body has very little to do with luck.
9. People who are overweight lack the willpower necessary to control their weight.
10. Each of us directly is responsible for our weight.
11. Losing weight is simply a matter of wanting to do it and applying yourself.
12. People who are more than a couple of pounds overweight need professional help to lose weight. *
13. By increasing the amount one exercises, one can lose weight.
14. Most people are at their present weight because that is the weight level that is natural for them. *
15. Unsuccessful dieting is due to lack of effort.
16. In order to lose weight, people must get a lot of encouragement from others. *

Note: * indicates items that are reverse scored.