How useful are the stages of change for targeting interventions? Randomized test of a brief intervention to reduce smoking.

Este estudo avaliou os preditores da dependência tabágica e o modo como as representações do tabaco contribuem para as variáveis sócio-cognitivas na cessação tabágica. Participaram no estudo 224 fumadores. Os resultados revelaram que ter menos idade, ser do sexo masculino, ter doença respiratória, fumar mais cigarros por dia, ter um parceiro que fuma, menor qualidade de vida mental e mais morbilidade psicológica foram preditores de maior dependência tabágica. Por sua vez, mais idade, menor compreensão, representações emocionais mais ameaçadoras e parceiro não fumar revelaram-se preditores da intenção; menor compreensão, representações cognitivas mais ameaçadoras e parceiro não fumar previram as atitudes face ao comportamento deixar de fumar; mais idade, representações emocionais e cognitivas mais ameaçadoras e parceiro não fumar previram as crenças de comportamento em relação a deixar de fumar; representações emocionais mais ameaçadoras e parceiro não fumar previram as normas subjetivas; representações cognitivas menos ameaçadoras e parceiro não fumar previram o controlo comportamental percebido; mais idade, parceiro não fumar e representações emocionais mais ameaçadoras previram as crenças normativas/controlo. As representações emocionais e cognitivas mais ameaçadoras e ser do sexo masculino, foram os preditores do planeamento do coping/ação. Este estudo enfatiza a importância das representações do tabaco nos programas de cessação tabágica.Palavras-chave: Dependência nicotínica, Representações do tabaco, Teoria do comportamento planeado.

Discussion: Intermittent and daily light smokers differ on several tobacco-related and psychosocial variables. Attending to these factors in prevention and cessation programs may enhance abstinence in both groups. IntroductionSmoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States ( Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2004 ). Despite a decrease in smoking among middle-aged and older adults, young adult smoking prevalence declines are smaller, and reductions in moderate to heavy smoking have been accompanied by an increase in prevalence of light and intermittent smoking ( Pierce, White, & Messer, 2009 ). One group of young adults who demonstrate high rates of smoking are individuals serving in the military ( Bray et al., 2006 ;Nelson & Pederson, 2008 ).Two subgroups of smokers who have received growing attention ( Fiore et al., 2008 ) and have yet to be examined among military personnel are light and intermittent (i.e., nondaily) smokers. Both young adults ( Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Agency, 2004 ) and ethnic minorities ( Ahluwalia et al., 2006 ;Rodriguez-Esquivel, Cooper, Blow, & Resor, 2009 ;Trinidad et al., 2009 ) are predominant in the military and evidence high rates of low-level smoking. Therefore, light and intermittent smoking are likely to be especially common in this group.A pattern of maintaining low levels of smoking has multiple implications. First, relative to never smoking, even light smoking is deleterious to health such that light smokers are at increased Abstract Introduction: Few studies have assessed differences between intermittent and light smokers, particularly among young adults. Exploring these differences promotes a systematic approach to research and treatment in low-level smokers. This study explored demographic, tobacco-related, and psychosocial predictors of intermittent nondaily smoking relative to light smoking among basic military training (BMT) recruits. The impact of smoking status on abstinence rates at follow-up was also assessed.Methods: Participants were 5,603 U.S. Air Force BMT intermittent nondaily ( n = 3,134) or light daily ( n = 2,469) smoking recruits participating in a population-based group randomized trial targeting tobacco use prevention and cessation , Effi cacy of a tailored tobacco control program on long-term use in a population of U.S. military troops. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology , 74,[295][296][297][298][299][300][301][302][303][304][305][306]. Participants completed baseline measures assessing demographics; tobacco use and history; and common social, attitudinal, and behavioral risk factors for tobacco use. Flights of recruits were randomly assigned to a tobacco use intervention or health education control intervention. At the 1-year follow-up, participants reported 7-day point prevalence and continuous abstinence. Results:Intermittent nondaily smoking relative to light daily smoking was associated with lesser perceived addiction, intermittent and daily use of smokeless tobacco, nonsmoking male and fe...

A structured planning intervention delivered online can reduce relapse to smoking. Smokers should be encouraged to form implementation intentions and do most of their planning for relapse prevention after they have quit.