Integrating strategies from three predominant theories regarding romantic partner support of weight loss.

Three theories are predominantly used to assess romantic partner support of individuals' weight loss: self-determination, social control, and confirmation. Because all theories highlight partner strategies as a primary theoretical element and involve strategies that appear to overlap, the current study sought to create an overarching measure of partner support strategies. Study 1 assessed the items from scales across all three theories, and three overarching strategies emerged: encouragement (e.g., reassurances, understanding, praises), instrumental influence (e.g., requests, reminders, modeling), and coercion (e.g., affection withdrawal, judgment). Study 2 assessed the measurement, predictive, and concurrent validity of this three-strategy scale. Results suggested the three overarching strategies and their combinations explained more variance in weight management variables than the strategies of the individual theories. The goal of this research is not to critique the individual theories or measures but to channel research in this area, thereby expediting progress in combatting obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]