"Sick" or "hooked": smokers' perceptions of their addiction

A postal questionnaire was completed by 233 smokers who had contacted a television company for help with stopping smoking. Subjects recorded how well each of 20 statements described their feelings about their own smoking. These responses were submitted to a principal components analysis which revealed two interpretable factors. The first ('Sick') reflected a tendency to see smoking as a sickness, and a greater concern over health consequences. The second ('Hooked') reflected a feeling of inability to give up smoking, and a resentment at other's attempts at dissuasion. Subjects with higher 'Sick' factor scores perceived greater potential benefit in their stopping (in terms of a reduction of risk of cancer). Higher 'Hooked' factor scores were given by females, older smokers, those who described themselves as more extremely addicted, and those who saw less benefit for themselves in stopping.