Smokers' narrative accounts of quit attempts: AIDS and impediments to success.
In this study, the authors used cigarette smokers' narratives describing their quit attempts to understand factors related to the change process. Maintained quitters (MQs, n = 59) and temporary quitters (TQs, n = 47) wrote autobiographical narratives describing their most serious (TQs) or last (MQs) quit attempt. Two types of content analysis were used to analyze the reports: (a) dichotomous ratings of the presence or absence of an event and (b) computerized content analysis of event or word frequency. The valence (anti- or pro-smoking cessation) of change factors was also examined. MQs wrote significantly more affective statements than did TQs. When valence was examined, MQs made significantly more pro-smoking cessation social support, cognitive, and affective statements than TQs did, and TQs made significantly more anti-smoking cessation social support and affective statements than MQs did.
Helvig
Todd M
TM
Center for Psychological Studies, Nova Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA.
Sobell
Linda Carter
LC
Sobell
Mark B
MB
Simco
Edward R
ER
D000339:Affect; D000739:Anecdotes as Topic; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support