Lay beliefs about the causes and consequences of smoking cessation maintenance

Descriptive research has corroborated the Relapse Prevention (RP) model of smoking relapse, but RP interventions have been generally ineffective. This discrepancy might arise from disagreement between the theory and ex-smokers' beliefs about what determines successful maintenance. We therefore asked 100 recent ex-smokers why they believed they would (or would not) be able to abstain for the following year, and what benefits they anticipated if they did. Modal responses were that personal attributes (e.g., willpower) would determine maintenance and that improved physical health would be its most important result. Twelve-month continuous abstinence was more common among those anticipating improved feelings of psychological or physical well-being than among those anticipating a reduction in problems or a diffuse health benefit.