title: The motivation to stay abstinent in ex-smokers: comparing the present with the past.
abstract: Little is known about the motivation of ex-smokers to stay abstinent. In the present study we argue that ex-smokers compare their present to their past when they still smoked to conclude whether they make good progress towards a satisfactory state of continued abstinence. These temporal comparisons are thought to be central in the motivation to stay abstinent in ex-smokers. The power of temporal comparisons to predict relapse was tested in two related samples of ex-smokers (N=152 and N=197), together with two other relevant psychological factors; positive outcome expectations of smoking and self-efficacy expectations. In the first sample of ex-smokers, only temporal comparisons predicted relapse after 2 months. In the second sample of ex-smokers, temporal comparisons mediated the relation between perceived positive outcomes of smoking and relapse after 6 months. In addition, in predicting relapse after 6 months, temporal comparisons interacted with self-efficacy. The present study suggests that temporal comparisons comprise the cognitive aspect of the motivation of ex-smokers to stay abstinent. This conceptualization of the motivation in ex-smokers can be used in practice to prevent relapse.
authors.affiliation: University of Groningen, Social and Organizational Psychology, Grote Kruisstraat 2/1, 9712 TS, Groningen, The Netherlands. dijkstra@rug.nl
authors.forename: Arie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dijkstra
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Borland
authors.forename: Bram P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Buunk
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D016015:Logistic Models; D009042:Motivation; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D020377:Self Efficacy; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D013995:Time