Behavioral couples therapy for smoking cessation: A pilot randomized clinical trial

Area of Science:

• Addiction Medicine
• Behavioral Psychology
• Public Health

Background:

• Behavioral couples therapy (BCT) improves abstinence in substance use disorders.
• BCT has not been previously studied for smoking cessation.
• Smoking-discordant couples present a unique challenge for cessation interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility and acceptability of BCT for smoking cessation in couples.
• To compare BCT with standard smoking cessation treatment in a pilot study.
• To evaluate the impact of BCT on perceived partner support for smoking cessation.

Main Methods:

• A pilot randomized controlled trial involving 49 smokers with non-smoking partners.
• Participants received either BCT or standard individual smoking cessation treatment.
• Both groups received nicotine replacement therapy and were followed for 6 months.

Main Results:

• Biochemically verified cessation rates did not significantly differ between BCT and standard treatment groups at any follow-up point.
• Perceived smoking-specific partner support was similar in both treatment conditions posttreatment.
• The study did not find evidence supporting the efficacy of BCT for smoking-discordant couples.

Conclusions:

• BCT is not demonstrably more effective than standard treatment for smoking cessation in this pilot study.
• Further research is needed to explore alternative couple-based interventions for smoking cessation.
• Smoking-discordant couples may require tailored support strategies beyond current BCT models.