title: Sustained smoking abstinence is associated with reductions in smoking-specific experiential avoidance among treatment-seeking smokers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Smoking-specific experiential avoidance is related to the maintenance of cigarette smoking. However, it is unclear whether sustained smoking abstinence is associated with subsequent reductions in smoking-specific experiential avoidance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Daily smokers (n = 149) underwent a cessation attempt in the context of a 4-session smoking cessation treatment trial. Participants provided biochemical verification of smoking status at 1 week, 2 weeks, and 1 Month post-quit day. Smoking-specific experiential avoidance was assessed per the Avoidance and Inflexibility Scale (AIS) - the total score and two factor scores were examined at 1 Month post-quit day as a function of abstinence status. Two path models were conducted and included participant sex, treatment condition, and pre-cessation nicotine dependence, smoking-specific experiential avoidance, and presence of emotional disorders as covariates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After adjusting for covariates, sustained smoking abstinence was associated with a reduction in the AIS total score at Month 1 post-quit (β = -.45, p < .001). Sustained smoking abstinence was associated with reductions across both facets of experiential avoidance -- smoking-related thoughts and feelings (β = -.44, p < .001) and internal bodily sensations (β = -.41, p < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Biochemical verification of smoking status was confirmed only at three time points post-quit day, and continued abstinence throughout the one-month post-quitting period is not fully known.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sustained smoking abstinence may contribute to reductions in smoking-specific experiential avoidance. Findings add to the research documenting the relevance of experiential avoidance in various processes of smoking (including smoking abstinence).
authors.affiliation: University of Houston, Department of Psychology, 126 Heyne Building, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77024, USA; Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, 345 Blackstone Blvd, Providence, RI 02906, USA. Electronic address: sgfarris@uh.edu.
authors.forename: Samantha G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Farris
authors.affiliation: Brown University, School of Public Health, 121 S. Main Street, Providence, RI 02903, USA.
authors.forename: Angelo M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: DiBello
authors.affiliation: Kent State University, Department of Psychological Sciences, 800 E. Summit St., Kent, OH 44240, USA.
authors.forename: Luke F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Heggeness
authors.affiliation: University of Houston, Department of Educational Psychology, Farish Hall, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77024, USA.
authors.forename: Lorraine R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Reitzel
authors.affiliation: The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, 975 NE 10th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA.
authors.forename: Damon J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Vidrine
authors.affiliation: Florida State University, Department of Psychology, 1107 W Call St, Tallahassee, FL 32304, USA.
authors.forename: Norman B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.affiliation: University of Houston, Department of Psychology, 126 Heyne Building, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77024, USA; The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Behavioral Science, 1155 Pressler Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Zvolensky
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Acceptance; Experiential avoidance; Smoking cessation; Tobacco; Willingness