Get with the program: Adherence to a smartphone app for smoking cessation

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Science
• Digital Health
• Psychology

Background:

• Engagement in digital health interventions is crucial but often lacks theoretical grounding.
• Adherence measures in technology-based behavioral change interventions need to be more specific to the underlying theory.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate adherence to an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) app for smoking cessation.
• To determine if adherence predicts smoking cessation outcomes.
• To identify user characteristics associated with adherence.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study of 84 adult daily smokers using a single-arm design.
• Analysis of app log data to measure adherence to four key ACT components.
• Examination of baseline user characteristics linked to adherence and cessation.

Main Results:

• Fully adherent users (24%) were over four times more likely to quit smoking.
• Increased tracking of urges passed and completion of ACT modules predicted cessation.
• Lower baseline acceptance of cravings was associated with higher odds of full adherence.

Conclusions:

• Full adherence and specific ACT-based app usage predict smoking cessation.
• Users with lower acceptance of cravings demonstrated higher app adherence, aligning with ACT principles.
• Further research is recommended to enhance app engagement strategies.