The day-to-day process of stopping or reducing smoking: a prospective study of self-changers

Almost all descriptions of attempts to quit smoking have focused on what happens after an abrupt quit attempt and end once a smoker relapses. The current study examined the day-to-day process preceding a quit or reduction attempt in addition to the daily process after a failure to quit or reduce.

We recruited 220 adult daily cigarette smokers who planned to quit abruptly, to quit gradually, to reduce only, or to not change on their own. Participants called a voice mail system each night for 28 days to report cigarette use for that day and their intentions for smoking for the next day. No treatment was provided.

Three main findings emerged: (a) The large majority of participants did not show a simple pattern of change but rather showed a pattern of multiple transitions among smoking, abstinence, and reduction over a short period of time; (b) most of those who reported an initial goal to quit abruptly actually reduced; and (c) daily intentions to quit strongly predicted abstinence, while daily intentions to reduce weakly predicted reduction.

We conclude that the day-to-day process of attempts to change smoking among nontreatment seekers is much more dynamic than previously thought. This suggests that extended treatment beyond initial lapses and relapses and during postcessation reduction may be helpful.