Comparative analysis of parental attitude and the adaptive potential of adolescents with overweight and obesity

Introduction. Childhood obesity is a pressing public health problem worldwide. According to WHO, in 2022, there were 390 million overweight children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 years in the world. Experts consider this problem not only from a somatic point of view, but also from a psychological component.

The objective was to identify the features of adaptive resource potential, personal anxiety and the specifics of parental attitudes of overweight and obese adolescents.

Methods and materials. A total of 120 respondents took part in the study, including 30 overweight and obese adolescents and 30 their parents. The comparison group consisted of adolescents with a normal body mass index and their parents. Psychodiagnostic survey techniques were used aimed at studying adaptive resource potential, the level of personal anxiety and the specifics of parental attitudes.

Results. It was revealed that overweight and obese adolescents highly value their external adaptive potential more than their internal individual psychological adaptive potential. The level of psychological stability is most based on the external system: support from the family, friendly relationships with peers. In assessing the level of manifestation of personal anxiety in adolescents, a low level of anxiety is observed, possibly as an external manifestation of a defense mechanism. In the system of child-parent relations among overweight and obese adolescents, there is a tendency to display negative feelings, low control, and perhaps a more permissive attitude towards the process of raising and educating the child.

Conclusions. For overweight and obese adolescents, correctional and developmental classes should be conducted on self-regulation of their emotional state, increasing self-esteem, accepting their individual psychological qualities, as well as psychological work with the parents of adolescents, in general, with the family system.

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