In individual behavior therapy two clients were evaluated using behavior categories created by the therapist. Both clients were observed to improve in terms of social competence. One demonstrated a significant inverse correlation between improvement of social competence and weight loss during treatment (16 sessions) and lost weight. The other required longer treatment (40 sessions), but also demonstrated the same tendency of results at the end of intervention. Based on this evaluation, it was postulated that behavior therapy targeted to issues of social competence could be part of treatment for weight loss, and be combined with other therapeutic modalities. (Contains 4 figures and 2 footnotes.)