Toward an understanding of the obese person.

Attitudes, feelings, and family backgrounds of seven very obese women were studied by means of a religious history questionnaire. Some comments are made about this research tool. Three very prominent characteristics of these women were feelings of helplessness and powerlessness, a craving for love, and strong guilt feelings. A possible psychogenic factor in morbid obestity was observed in the backgrounds of five women; pertinent information on the other two was lacking. This factor is a dual dynamic of harshness and indulgence. The onset of obesity seemed to occur when indulgence became the dominating influence over harshness.