News – Page 6 – Sarah E. Domoff, PhD

Domoff, S. E., Hinman, N. G., Koball, A. M., Storfer-Isser, A., Carhart, V. L., Baik, K. D., & Carels, R. A (2012). The effects of reality television on weight bias: An examination of the Biggest Loser. Obesity, 20: 993-998. DOI: 10.1038/oby.2011.378

Abstract: Weight-loss reality shows, a popular form of television programming, portray obese individuals and their struggles to lose weight. While the media is believed to reinforce obesity stereotypes and contribute to weight stigma, it is not yet known whether weight-loss reality shows have any effect on weight bias. The goal of this investigation was to examine how exposure to 40-min of The Biggest Loser impacted participants’ levels of weight bias. Fifty-nine participants (majority of whom were white females) were randomly assigned to either an experimental (one episode of The Biggest Loser) or control (one episode of a nature reality show) condition. Levels of weight bias were measured by the Implicit Associations Test (IAT), the Obese Person Trait Survey (OPTS), and the Anti-fat Attitudes scale (AFA) at baseline and following the episode viewing (1 week later). Participants in The Biggest Loser condition had significantly higher levels of dislike of overweight individuals and more strongly believed that weight is controllable after the exposure. No significant condition effects were found for implicit bias or traits associated with obese persons. Exploratory analyses examining moderation of the condition effect by BMI and intention to lose weight indicated that participants who had lower BMIs and were not trying to lose weight had significantly higher levels of dislike of overweight individuals following exposure to The Biggest Loser compared to similar participants in the control condition. These results indicate that anti-fat attitudes increase after brief exposure to weight-loss reality television.

College students’ perceptions of collective efficacy: Results from a non-urban sample.

By sdomoff

On December 15, 2012

In Uncategorized

College students’ perceptions of collective efficacy: Results from a non-urban sample.

Domoff, S. E., Hayman, J., & Tompsett, C. J. (2012). College students’ perceptions of collective efficacy: Results from a non-urban sample. Journal of Community Psychology, 40 762-768. DOI: 10.1002/jcop.21498

Abstract: Although the relationship between neighborhood characteristics and collective efficacy is well established in urban populations with community samples, it is unclear if this relationship holds in rural areas. The current study fills this gap by assessing the perceptions of adolescents from nonurban areas to examine the relationships between neighborhood characteristics and collective efficacy in areas with lower population density. Our sample comprised 402 late adolescents attending a Midwestern university (average age 19.1 years). Consistent with previous studies using urban neighborhoods, we found that higher concentrated disadvantage was related to lower levels of social cohesion, regardless of population density. However, neither residential stability nor concentrated immigration was predictive of social cohesion. None of the neighborhood characteristics significantly predicted social control, after controlling for population density.

Prediction of restraints among youth in a psychiatric hospital: Application of translational action research.

By sdomoff

On December 18, 2011

In Publication

Prediction of restraints among youth in a psychiatric hospital: Application of translational action research.

Tompsett, C. J., Domoff, S., and Boxer, P. (2011). Prediction of restraints among youth in a psychiatric hospital: Application of translational action research. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 67, 368–382. DOI: 10.1002/jclp.20772

Abstract: This study extends a translational action research program by applying a theoretically based measure of risk in predicting incidents of restraint among children and adolescents in a secure psychiatric hospital. Youth inpatients (N = 149, aged 5–17 years) were assessed at intake for the presence of selected individual and contextual risk factors, and their involvement in critical incidents was tracked (i.e., number of episodes in which restraint was applied) for the remainder of their hospitalization. Models including history of aggression or history of previous placements as well as combined models including several individual and contextual factors significantly predicted the likelihood of a youth becoming involved in at least one restraint. Unique predictors of restraint involvement included history of aggression against adults and history of previous psychiatric hospitalizations. None of the variables assessed predicted the extent of a youth’s restraint involvement. The implications of these findings are discussed with respect to future research and empirically informed practice with high-risk youth.