Mindfulness Ameliorates the Relationship between Weight Concerns and Smoking Behavior in Female Smokers: A Cross-Sectional Investigation.
Weight concerns are common among female smokers and may interfere with smoking cessation. It is imperative to identify protective factors to lessen the likelihood that smoking-related weight concerns prompt smoking and hinder cessation efforts. Mindfulness is one potential protective factor that might prevent weight concerns from triggering smoking. In the current study, relationships among facets of trait mindfulness, smoking-related weight concerns, and smoking behavior were examined among 112 young adult female smokers (70.5% daily smokers; 83% Caucasian; mean age 20 [SD= 1.69]). After controlling for demographic variables, theDescribingfacet of trait mindfulness predicted lower smoking-related weight concerns. The mindfulness characteristics ofActing with Awareness,Nonreactivity, andDescribingmoderated the relationship between smoking-related weight concerns and smoking frequency, such that smoking-related weight concerns predicted greater smoking frequency in female smokers with low and medium levels of these mindfulness characteristics but did not in those with higher levels of mindfulness. These results suggest that mindfulness-based interventions may be effective for weight-concerned smokers.
Department of Health Disparities Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center - Unit 1440, PO Box 301402, Houston, TX 77230-1402.
Claire E
CE
Adams
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center.
Megan Apperson
MA
McVay
Department of Health Disparities Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center - Unit 1440, PO Box 301402, Houston, TX 77230-1402.
Diana W
DW
Stewart
Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA.
Christine
C
Vinci
Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA.
Jessica
J
Kinsaul
Department of Psychology, The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN.
Lindsay
L
Benitez
Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA.
Amy L
AL
Copeland
Facets of Mindfulness; Smoking; Trait Mindfulness; Weight Concerns