title: Smoking cessation with teenagers: the relationship between impulsivity, emotional problems, program retention and effectiveness.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examines whether individual differences in impulsivity and emotional problems in adolescent smokers are related to initial smoking characteristics of participants, acceptance, retention and outcome of a school-based smoking cessation program.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data was obtained from a feasibility study of a youth-specific, cognitive-behavioral and motivation enhancing program at 22 schools with 139 participating teenage smokers in Germany. A one-group-pre-posttest design was realized.
  
  
  METHODS
  Impulsivity levels were assessed by use of the impulsivity scale of the IVE ("Inventar zur Erfassung von Impulsivität, Risikoverhalten und Empathie", Stadler, Janke, & Schmeck, 2004). To evaluate the extent of emotional problems, the corresponding 5-items scale of the SDQ-Deu ("Strength and difficulties questionnaire", Klasen et al., 2000) was applied. Smoking behavior and acceptance of the program were assessed by students' self-reports.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Acceptance and retention did not differ with regard to impulsivity and emotional problems, but initial smoking status did. Cessation rates varied with level of impulsivity: compared to non-impulsive participants, impulsive adolescents succeeded in quitting smoking less often. Emotional problems were not related to the rate of quitting.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Impulsive adolescents were similarly compliant to the offered cessation intervention as less impulsive smokers. In spite of their general positive evaluation, impulsive adolescents seem to benefit less from a smoking cessation program than their non-impulsive counterparts. Specific elements supporting impulsive teenage smokers in their goal to quit should be incorporated into youth-specific cessation programs.
authors.affiliation: IFT, Institut für Therapieforschung, Parzivalstr. 25, 80804 Munich, Germany. wegmann@ift.de
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wegmann
authors.forename: Anneke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bühler
authors.forename: Mareike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Strunk
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nowak
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004644:Emotions; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000523:psychology*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome