Unpleasant mood reverses satiety's effect on tobacco reinforcement

Despite empirical support of goal-directed behavior models of dependence, the role of mood on substance use is unclear. The Reinforcer Pathology (RP) model may be useful to describe it specific effects in substance-related variables. This study aims to test mood induction's effect on tobacco demand and integrate results into the RP model.

Sixty-two participants from the general population, aged 18-34, who smoked at least five cigarettes daily and presented no severe mental health conditions completed the study using a two-group design (between-subject factor: pleasant vs unpleasant mood induction; within factor: pre-, post-induction). They complete measures of mood status, tobacco reinforcing efficacy, delay discounting, depressive, anxiety and stress symptoms, environmental reinforcement, negative/positive urgency and tobacco-related/free reinforcement. Before mood induction, all participants were sated with nicotine after being asked to smoke freely.

While pleasant mood reduced intensity, O_max and breakpoint and increased elasticity, unpleasant mood produced the opposite pattern. This effect was dose dependent and effect sizes were large (f = 0.39-0.50). Mood induction did not significantly affect delay discounting significantly. The association between classical RP variables and new candidates (emotional symptoms, pleasant/negative urgency, tobacco-related/free reinforcement) was differently influenced by mood valance (r = |.359-.532|).

Results support the goal-directed behavior model of dependence and extend the RP model by integrating the role of mood induction. The effect of mood seems particularly large in intensity, O_max, and elasticity and this effect may depend on emotional regulation skills and contextual variables, such as substance-free reinforcement and environmental reward.