FREQUENCY OF THERAPIST CONTACT IN THE TREATMENT OF OBESITY

Thirty-four overweight adults participated in a study investigating the effects of frequent versus infrequent therapist-client contacts on weight loss in the initial stages of a weight reduction program. Over a 5-week period subjects contacted three times per week, whether in person or by phone, lost significantly more weight and reported significantly less food consumption than those seen on a once per week basis. Self-reported caloric intake was a good predictor of weight loss, but self-reported exercise was not. © 1979 Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy.