A randomized controlled trial of smartphone-based mindfulness training for smoking cessation: a study protocol

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Behavioral Science
• Public Health

Background:

• Tobacco use causes significant global mortality.
• Mindfulness training shows promise for smoking cessation.
• Mobile health offers new avenues for smoking cessation interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of a smartphone app delivering mindfulness training for smoking cessation.
• To assess smoking cessation rates at 6-month follow-up.

Main Methods:

• A parallel-randomized clinical trial involving 140 daily smokers.
• Participants received a 22-day smartphone-based program: mindfulness training plus experience sampling (intervention) or experience sampling only (control).
• Primary outcome: 6-month point prevalence abstinence, verified by carbon monoxide monitoring and video chat.

Main Results:

• The study is the first to assess smartphone-delivered mindfulness training for smoking cessation.
• Results are pending further analysis.

Conclusions:

• Smartphone-based mindfulness training offers a novel, accessible intervention for smoking cessation.
• This approach provides 'treatment in-hand' for real-world application.