title: Smoking cessation abstinence goal in treatment-seeking smokers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Baseline abstinence goal is a robust predictor of cigarette abstinence. However, important questions about goal remain unanswered. These include variables correlating with goal, changes in goal, relationship of goal and abstinence status over time, and predictors of change. The current study aimed to address these questions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were treatment-seeking volunteers in two clinical trials. In Clinical Trial 1 (N=402), participants smoked ≥10 cigarettes per day (CPD) and were ≥50years of age. In Clinical Trial 2 (N=406), participants smoked ≥10 CPD, smoked within 30min of arising, and were ≥18years of age. The outcome variables were biochemically verified 7-day abstinence from cigarettes at weeks 12, 24, 52, and 104. Abstinence goal, demographic, psychological, and smoking related variables were assessed via standard instruments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At baseline, the greater the desire to quit and one's expectations of success, and the lesser the educational level, the more likely participants were to have a quit forever goal. Throughout the two-year study, abstinence from cigarettes and a lower educational level were correlated with a goal of quit forever; 37% of participants changed goal. There were no predictors of goal change. Abstinence goal was related to abstinence status across the study period. The goal predicted abstinence status at subsequent assessments, even when status was controlled.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lesser educational levels were consistent predictors of a more stringent goal. Abstinence goal changes over time. These findings suggest that repeated counseling about goal is advisable and participants would benefit from such counseling, independent of demographic characteristics and smoking status.
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco, Treatment Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, 401 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94143-0984, USA. Electronic address: sharon.hall@ucsf.edu.
authors.forename: Sharon M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco, Treatment Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, 401 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94143-0984, USA.
authors.forename: Yanling
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco, Treatment Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, 401 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94143-0984, USA.
authors.forename: Gary L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Humfleet
authors.affiliation: Palo Alto University, Institute for International Internet Interventions for Health, Clinical Psychology, 1791 Arastradero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA.
authors.forename: Ricardo F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco, Treatment Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, 401 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94143-0984, USA.
authors.forename: Victor I
authors.initials: VI
authors.lastname: Reus
authors.affiliation: Stanford University, The Stanford Prevention Research Center, Medical School Office Building, 1265 Welch Road, Mail Code 6411, Stanford, CA 94305-5411, USA.
authors.forename: Judith J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Prochaska
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods; D016642:Bupropion / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D057566:Self Report; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000523:psychology*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013850:Thinking; D061485:Tobacco Use Cessation Devices; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors; D016642:Bupropion
keywords: Abstinence goal; Abstinence status; Smoking cessation; Tobacco