Self-efficacy and Its Impact on Weight Loss in a 12-month Weight Loss Program Modified for People with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Research Objectives: To measure change in self-efficacy over time and determine its relationship with weight-loss for participants enrolled in a 12-month weight loss program tailored for people with traumatic brain injury (TBI)

Design: Secondary data analysis from a randomized controlled trial (RCT; NCT03594734)

Setting: Community

Participants: Adults (18-64 years) with moderate to severe TBI who were greater than 6 months post injury and had a BMI greater than or equal to 25 kg/m2

Interventions: Diabetes Prevention Program Group Lifestyle Balance (DPP-GLB) modified for people with TBI (GLB-TBI)

Main Outcome Measures: Self-Efficacy (measured by the General Self Efficacy Scale [GSE] and the Self-Rated Abilities for Health Practices [SRAHP] scale) and weight loss (lbs.). The SRAHP includes a total score and subscales of nutrition, well-being, exercise, and health practices.

Results: Participants in the GLB-TBI lost an average of -15.5 ± 16.4 lbs. over the 12-month program. 16 of the 24 participants (66.7%) lost more than 5% of their body weight (“responders”), 8 did not lose 5% of their body weight (“non-responders”). GSE scores did not change significantly over time and were not correlated with weight loss. SRAHP total score, as well as subscales of nutrition, well-being, and exercise changed significantly over time (all p’s < 0.05) but were not correlated with weight loss. When dividing the sample into responders (n=16) and non-responders (n=8), the SRAHP subscale of health practices was higher at baseline for responders (p=.023).

Conclusions: Subscales of self-efficacy for health practices changed significantly over time for participants in the GLB-TBI. Though not correlated with weight loss at 12 months, self-efficacy for health practices was significantly higher for people who lost 5% of their body weight, suggesting a relationship between self-efficacy and weight loss that needs to be further explored in a larger sample. Results suggest that self-efficacy may be an important target for future interventions to improve weight loss success for people enrolled in the GLB-TBI.

Author(s) Disclosures: The dataset used in this abstract was supported by a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR grant number 90DPTB0013). NIDILRR is a center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents of this presentation do not necessarily represent the policy of NIDILRR, ACL, HHS, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.