Imagery-induced tobacco craving: duration and lack of assessment reactivity bias

The duration of imagery-induced tobacco craving and whether craving responses are biased by repeated assessment (reactivity) was studied. Nonabstinent smokers (n = 40) either imagined a scene describing smoking urges or rested. They then either completed the Tobacco Craving Questionnaire (TCQ; S. J. Heishman, E. G. Singleton, & E. T. Moolchan, 2003) every minute for 15 min or completed it after imagery or rest (Minute 1) and 15 min later. TCQ scores were greater after imagery compared with rest and remained significantly elevated at Minute 15. There was no evidence that TCQ responses were affected by repeated measurement. These data suggest that imagery-induced craving can persist for at least 15 min and that craving responses are not biased by assessment reactivity.