African-American women have been disproportionately affected by the obesity epidemic in the United States, and studies have suggested that sociocultural factors may have a negative influence on weight and weight loss efforts. Relatedly, other studies have found that African-American women have reported feeling less motivated to lose weight than other ethnic groups. Previous research has also indicated that locus of control plays a role in some health outcomes for African America women. The current study aimed to examine the impact of Black identity, external locus of control, and exercise motivation on obesity in African-American college women. Uncontrolled eating and exercise activity were proposed as mediators, and depression and age were included as covariates.
Results indicated that racial identity, external locus of control, and exercise motivation did not predict obesity in this population. Depression and age were, however, significantly associated with obesity. Future studies should explore other aspects of culture for African-American women that may influence obesity and motivation to engage in healthier behaviors. Additionally, an examination of factors that contribute to depression and weight for this population would also prove beneficial for more culturally sensitive obesity interventions.
","abstract_html":"<p>African-American women have been disproportionately affected by the obesity epidemic in the United States, and studies have suggested that sociocultural factors may have a negative influence on weight and weight loss efforts. Relatedly, other studies have found that African-American women have reported feeling less motivated to lose weight than other ethnic groups. Previous research has also indicated that locus of control plays a role in some health outcomes for African America women. The current study aimed to examine the impact of Black identity, external locus of control, and exercise motivation on obesity in African-American college women. Uncontrolled eating and exercise activity were proposed as mediators, and depression and age were included as covariates.</p> <p>Results indicated that racial identity, external locus of control, and exercise motivation did not predict obesity in this population. Depression and age were, however, significantly associated with obesity. Future studies should explore other aspects of culture for African-American women that may influence obesity and motivation to engage in healthier behaviors. Additionally, an examination of factors that contribute to depression and weight for this population would also prove beneficial for more culturally sensitive obesity interventions.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Grisham, Jamie"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Psychology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Desideria S. Hacker","Darlene Colson","Barbara A. Cubic","Robin J. Lewis","Alan T. Pope"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2015,"date_issued":"2015-07-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2015-07-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:33:54Z","subjects":["African-American women","Depression","Exercise motivation","Health locus of control","Obesity","Racial identity","Weight loss","Health Psychology","Multicultural Psychology","Public Health"],"languages":[],"rights":["In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["9781339229027"],"render_values":[{"text":"9781339229027","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/psychology_etds/12","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Desideria S. Hacker","Darlene Colson","Barbara A. Cubic","Robin J. Lewis","Alan T. Pope"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Grisham, Jamie"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2016-01-08T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Psychology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["African-American women","Depression","Exercise motivation","Health locus of control","Obesity","Racial identity","Weight loss","Health Psychology","Multicultural Psychology","Public Health"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
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Results indicated that racial identity, external locus of control, and exercise motivation did not predict obesity in this population. Depression and age were, however, significantly associated with obesity. Future studies should explore other aspects of culture for African-American women that may influence obesity and motivation to engage in healthier behaviors. Additionally, an examination of factors that contribute to depression and weight for this population would also prove beneficial for more culturally sensitive obesity interventions.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The Association of Racial Identity and Locus of Control With Eating Attitudes and Obesity in African American College Women"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Desideria S. Hacker","Darlene Colson","Barbara A. Cubic","Robin J. Lewis","Alan T. Pope"],"dc:creator":["Grisham, Jamie"],"dc:date.available":["2016-01-08T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["African-American women have been disproportionately affected by the obesity epidemic in the United States, and studies have suggested that sociocultural factors may have a negative influence on weight and weight loss efforts. Relatedly, other studies have found that African-American women have reported feeling less motivated to lose weight than other ethnic groups. Previous research has also indicated that locus of control plays a role in some health outcomes for African America women. The current study aimed to examine the impact of Black identity, external locus of control, and exercise motivation on obesity in African-American college women. Uncontrolled eating and exercise activity were proposed as mediators, and depression and age were included as covariates.
Results indicated that racial identity, external locus of control, and exercise motivation did not predict obesity in this population. Depression and age were, however, significantly associated with obesity. Future studies should explore other aspects of culture for African-American women that may influence obesity and motivation to engage in healthier behaviors. Additionally, an examination of factors that contribute to depression and weight for this population would also prove beneficial for more culturally sensitive obesity interventions.
"],"dc:identifier":["9781339229027","https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/psychology_etds/12"],"dc:rights":["In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
"],"dc:subject":["African-American women","Depression","Exercise motivation","Health locus of control","Obesity","Racial identity","Weight loss","Health Psychology","Multicultural Psychology","Public Health"],"dc:title":["The Association of Racial Identity and Locus of Control With Eating Attitudes and Obesity in African American College Women"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Psychology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:33:54Z"}