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Preventing smoking relapse, using an individually tailored skills-training technique.
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology
|June 1, 1989
Summary
A skills-training program significantly improved long-term smoking cessation rates. This relapse prevention strategy, involving tailored coping skills, demonstrated higher continuous abstinence in smokers compared to control groups.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Science
- Public Health
- Addiction Medicine
Background:
- Smoking cessation remains a significant public health challenge.
- Relapse is common, necessitating effective relapse prevention strategies.
- Previous interventions have shown varying success rates in long-term abstinence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of a skills-training program for smoking relapse prevention.
- To compare a skills-training approach against discussion and no-treatment controls.
- To assess long-term continuous abstinence rates post-intervention.
Main Methods:
- A population of 744 smokers received initial intensive smoking cessation training.
- Abstinent participants were randomized into skills-training, discussion, or no-treatment groups.
- Survival analysis was used to track biochemically confirmed continuous abstinence over 12 months.
Main Results:
- The skills-training group showed higher abstinence rates throughout the year.
- After 12 months, continuous abstinence was 41.3% for skills-training versus 34.1% and 33.3% for control groups.
- Skills-training demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in sustained smoking cessation.
Conclusions:
- A tailored skills-training relapse prevention program is effective in improving long-term smoking cessation.
- Cognitive and behavioral coping strategy rehearsal enhances maintenance of abstinence.
- This intervention offers a promising approach for reducing smoking relapse rates.