Responses to smoking-related stimuli and early relapse to smoking.
Prior to engaging in treatment for smoking cessation, subjects were tested for their responsiveness to cigarette smoking cues. Subjects performed a role-play with a confederate who lit their preferred brand of cigarette. Heart rate (HR) and galvanic skin conductance were assessed continuously, while urge to smoke and anxiety were rated subjectively after the role-play. Three months after treatment ended, subjects were divided into groups of continuous quitters, verified by expired carbon monoxide measurement, and relapsers. The results showed a significant difference between the groups in the pattern of pretreatment HR response to the lighting of the cigarette; relapsers displayed a sharp HR deceleration in response to the stimulus, while quitters' HR did not decelerate. The theoretical and clinical significance of these results is discussed.
Brown University, Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI.
R
R
Niaura
D
D
Abrams
B
B
Demuth
R
R
Pinto
P
P
Monti
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D001143:Arousal; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003463:Cues; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D012008:Recurrence; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D012931:Social Environment