Stage of change and smoking cessation outcomes among adolescents

This study examined the association between stage of change and smoking cessation outcomes among youth receiving two interventions of varying intensity: a 10-min brief self-help smoking cessation intervention (BI) or the American Lung Association's 10-week, Not-on-Tobacco (N-O-T) smoking cessation program. At baseline, the participants were classified into three stages (e.g., precontemplation, contemplation, and preparation) based on their intention to change their smoking behavior. Smoking behavior, stage of change, self-efficacy, and beliefs about smoking were assessed at baseline and 3 months postbaseline. Results demonstrated that the relationship between stage of change and cessation outcomes varied by treatment intensity. Logistic regression analyses revealed that BI participants in the preparation stage were 25 times more likely to quit smoking at postbaseline than were participants in the contemplation or precontemplation stages. In contrast, N-O-T was effective for youth regardless of baseline stage. Additionally, N-O-T participants demonstrated greater forward stage movement from baseline to postbaseline than did BI participants.