Smoking treatment strategies, expectancy outcomes, and credibility in attention-placebo control conditions

Assessed credibility of the rapid smoking procedure, covert sensitization a combined approach, satiation, and a relaxation technique in a group of 38 self-reported cigarette smokers. The results suggested that while sex is not a factor in credibility ratings, different treatment strategies do elicit varying degrees of confidence in terms of positive treatment expectances. Scheffé's method of posttest comparisons revealed that satiation was least preferred, while the relaxation procedure was rated the highest in credibility. The other aversive treatment strategies did not differ significantly from either the relaxation or satiation procedures. These findings are discussed as they relate to credibility as a nonspecific treatment variable that smoking researchers may effectively manipulate through a rating procedure in creating a more sound experimental design in attention-placebo control conditions.