We Deserve Space: A Pilot Outcomes Study of a Group Psychotherapy Intervention for Internalized Weight Stigma

Experienced and internalized weight stigma (IWS) are associated with a plethora of health and psychosocial consequences. In this study, we tested the outcomes of a 10-12 week, online, counselor-facilitated support group (We Deserve Space; WDS) for individuals who had experienced weight stigma. Twenty-five large-bodied individuals participated in three iterations of the WDS group. Participants average age was 43.68 years (SD = 13.84, range = 28-78). Revisions to WDS curricula were made iteratively in response to feedback. Paired samples t-tests yielded statistically significant improvements on all variables (IWS, antifat attitudes, depressive symptoms, loneliness, eating-disorder functional impairment, belongingness) from baseline to end-of-group, with effect sizes in the medium to large range. This study provides preliminary evidence that WDS may improve IWS, disordered-eating functional impairment, and psychosocial well-being in large-bodied individuals.