title: Behavior change techniques used in group-based behavioral support by the English stop-smoking services and preliminary assessment of association with short-term quit outcomes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop a reliable coding scheme for components of group-based behavioral support for smoking cessation, to establish the frequency of inclusion in English Stop-Smoking Service (SSS) treatment manuals of specific components, and to investigate the associations between inclusion of behavior change techniques (BCTs) and service success rates.
  
  
  METHODS
  A taxonomy of BCTs specific to group-based behavioral support was developed and reliability of use assessed. All English SSSs (n = 145) were contacted to request their group-support treatment manuals. BCTs included in the manuals were identified using this taxonomy. Associations between inclusion of specific BCTs and short-term (4-week) self-reported quit outcomes were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fourteen group-support BCTs were identified with >90% agreement between coders. One hundred and seven services responded to the request for group-support manuals of which 30 had suitable documents. On average, 7 BCTs were included in each manual. Two were positively associated with 4-week quit rates: "communicate group member identities" and a "betting game" (a financial deposit that is lost if a stop-smoking "buddy" relapses).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is possible to reliably code group-specific BCTs for smoking cessation. Fourteen such techniques are present in guideline documents of which 2 appear to be associated with higher short-term self-reported quit rates when included in treatment manuals of English SSSs.
authors: Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour Research Centre, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London and the NHS Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training, 2-16 Torrington Place, London WC1E 6BT, London, UK. robertwest100@gmail.com
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: West
authors: Adam
authors: A
authors: Evans
authors: Susan
authors: S
authors: Michie
mesh_terms: D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008370:Manuals as Topic; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011314:Preventive Health Services; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D006113:United Kingdom