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Smoker's identity scale: Measuring identity in tobacco dependence and its relationship with confidence in quitting
Patrick Dupont1,2, Valentine Tack3, Lisa Blecha1,2
1Centre d'Enseignement, de Recherche et de Traitement des Addictions, AP-HP, Paris-Sud University Hospital Group, Paul Brousse site; 12 avenue Paul Vaillant Couturier, 94804 Villejuif Cedex, France.
Background And Objectives:
Persistent smoking behaviours are associated with numerous motives, explaining the absence of a single treatment for quitting. One of these motives may include that of identification. The threat of losing their smoker's identity may represent a significant obstacle to lasting abstinence. The objective of this study is to design a specific identity questionnaire and examine correlations between the degree of smoking identity and persistent smoking.
Methods:
Patients attending a smoking cessation seminar completed the Modified Reasons for Smoking Scale, Barriers to smoking cessation checklist and our 6-item Smoker's Identity Scale (SIS) (n = 170 questionnaires).
Results:
SIS showed good internal consistency, calculated by a Chronbach test (α = .785) with no redundant questions. There was a correlation between strong tobacco dependence (measured by the Fagerström questionnaire) and strong smoking identity (p = .0001). Strong identity was associated with less confidence in quitting at both 1 and 6 months (p = .037 and p = .002, respectively). We showed that identity represents an obstacle to quitting in 32% of our patients and is associated with decreased confidence in quitting.
Conclusions And Scientific Significance:
Our study shows that measuring identity in smokers who wish to make a quit attempt may help to identify specific obstacles to abstinence. This may also help in elaborating improved quitting strategies and patient management. Further research is necessary to confirm these results.
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