Decline in smoking cessation rate associated with high self-efficacy scores.
BACKGROUND
Clinical observation indicates that self-efficacy, although generally linked with maintaining smoking cessation, can be excessive.


METHODS
In the present study, this phenomenon was explicitly investigated by adding the squared component of self-efficacy to the logistic regression analyses for a treatment sample (n = 381) to predict long-term success.


RESULTS
Quitters with very high posttreatment self-efficacy were found to be at a greater risk for unsuccessful smoking cessation than quitters with merely high posttreatment self-efficacy, and by accounting for this phenomenon, long-term success was better predicted. No such relation was found for self-efficacy change.


CONCLUSIONS
It is possible that quitters with very high levels of self-efficacy overestimate their capacity to quit and thereby neglect the use of coping skills and possibly engage in more high-risk situations.
Mental Health Group Europoort, Rotterdam, Netherlands. Tonnie@backwash.org
Anton B P
AB
Staring
Marinus H M
MH
Breteler
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods; D010556:Personality Tests; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D020377:Self Efficacy; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*