The effects of behavioral modification based on client center program to health behaviors among obese university students

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to examine the effectiveness of Health Behavioral Modification based on the Client Center Program (HBMCCP) and to study behavioral change in relation to self - efficacy, self- regulation, self-care behaviors and body weight. The sample was 59 undergraduate students, who were selected by cluster random sampling. 29 participated in the HBMCCP for 8 weeks, and were followed up 4 weeks after the program, and 30 students in the control group. Data was collected 3 times, before, immediately after and 4 weeks after the program, by 6 scale - questionnaires which had high reliability of Cronbach's alpha-coefficient between .81 to.94. The stratified variables were psycho-social variables, being a positive attitude towards health behavior and social support. Data were analyzed by MANOVA and ANCOVA. Results showed that 1) Obese students in the experimental group with HBMCCP had self - efficacy, self- regulation and self-care behavior at immediately after and 4 weeks later program significantly higher scores than before the program (p<0.000). For body weights at immediately after program were significantly lower scores than before the program (p=0.02), 2) Obese students in the program had self - efficacy, self- regulation and self-care behavior scores at immediately after and 4 weeks after the program significantly higher than obese students in the control group (p=0.009) and significantly lower body weights than obese students in the control group (p=0.026), and 3) No three - way interaction among positive attitude towards health behavior, social support and the program was found, although there was a two- way interaction between positive attitude towards health behavior and the program (p=0.001) and effect size=0.272.