title: The use of peer mentors to enhance a smoking cessation intervention for persons with serious mental illnesses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated a well-specified peer mentor program that enhanced a professionally led smoking cessation group for persons with serious mental illnesses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 8 peer mentors, persons with serious mental illnesses who had successfully quit smoking, and 30 program participants, persons with serious mental illnesses enrolled in a 6-month intervention. Peer mentors were trained and then helped to deliver a smoking cessation group and met with program participants individually. We assessed the mentors' skills after training, their fidelity to the model, and the program's feasibility and acceptability. We also measured the smoking outcomes of the program participants including change in exhaled carbon monoxide, a measure of recent smoking, and aspects of the peer mentor-program participant relationship.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Peer mentors attained a mean score of 13.6/14 on role play assessments after training and delivered the intervention with fidelity as assessed by adherence and competence ratings (mean scores of 97% and 93%, respectively). The feasibility and acceptability of the intervention was demonstrated in that 28/30 participants met with their peer mentors regularly and only 1 participant and no peer mentor discontinued in the study. Both parties rated the interpersonal alliance highly, mean of 5.9/7. The program participants had a decline in carbon monoxide levels and number of cigarettes smoked per day (repeated measures ANOVA F = 6.04, p = .008; F = 15.87, p < .001, respectively). A total of 22/30 (73%) made a quit attempt but only 3 (10%) achieved sustained abstinence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study adds to the growing literature about peer-delivered interventions.
authors.affiliation: Stanley Research Program, Sheppard Pratt Health System`
authors.forename: Faith B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Dickerson
authors.affiliation: Stanley Research Program, Sheppard Pratt Health System.
authors.forename: Christina L G
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Savage
authors.affiliation: Stanley Research Program, Sheppard Pratt Health System.
authors.forename: Lucy A B
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Schweinfurth
authors.affiliation: Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Capitol Health Care Network (Veterans Integrated Service Network 5).
authors.forename: Deborah R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Medoff
authors.affiliation: Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Capitol Health Care Network (Veterans Integrated Service Network 5).
authors.forename: Richard W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Goldberg
authors.affiliation: Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Capitol Health Care Network (Veterans Integrated Service Network 5).
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.affiliation: Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Capitol Health Care Network (Veterans Integrated Service Network 5).
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lucksted
authors.affiliation: Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Health Care Network (Veterans Integrated Service Network 4).
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chinman
authors.affiliation: Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Gail
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Daumit
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dixon
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: DiClemente
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders; D008611:Mentors; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010379:Peer Group; D015397:Program Evaluation; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*