title: Preventing smoking relapse, using an individually tailored skills-training technique.
abstract: The effectiveness of a relapse prevention program was studied in a population of 744 smokers. Subjects first attended an intensive 4-day series of 2-hr meetings in which they were trained to use more than 40 behavioral and cognitive smoking cessation techniques. At the 1-week follow-up session, those abstinent from smoking (79%, carbon monoxide verified) were randomly assigned to one of three follow-up conditions: (a) a three-session skills-training program in which subjects developed and actively rehearsed individually tailored coping strategies for likely relapse situations, (b) a three-session discussion control condition in which subjects discussed maintenance but did not develop or rehearse coping strategies, or (c) a no-treatment control condition. Survival analysis indicated higher abstinence rates for the skills-training group than for the control groups throughout the following year. After 12 months, the biochemically confirmed continuous abstinence rate was higher in the skills-training group (41.3%) than in the discussion and no-treatment groups (34.1% and 33.3%, respectively).
authors.forename: V J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Hollis
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology; D000074606:Smoking Prevention