Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2015 Nov;17(11):1385-92.
doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntv011. Epub 2015 Feb 2.

Positive Psychotherapy for Smoking Cessation: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Christopher W Kahler  1 , Nichea S Spillane  2 , Anne M Day  2 , Patricia A Cioe  2 , Acacia Parks  3 , Adam M Leventhal  4 , Richard A Brown  5
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Positive Psychotherapy for Smoking Cessation: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Christopher W Kahler et al. Nicotine Tob Res. 2015 Nov.

Abstract

Objective: Greater depressive symptoms and low positive affect (PA) are associated with poor smoking cessation outcomes. Smoking cessation approaches that incorporate a focus on PA may benefit smokers trying to quit. The purpose of this study was to conduct a pilot randomized clinical trial to compare standard smoking cessation treatment (ST) with smoking cessation treatment that targets positive affect, termed positive psychotherapy for smoking cessation (PPT-S).

Method: Smokers who were seeking smoking cessation treatment were assigned by urn randomization to receive, along with 8 weeks of nicotine replacement therapy, either ST (n = 31) or PPT-S (n = 35). Seven-day point prevalence smoking abstinence was biochemically confirmed at 8, 16, and 26 weeks.

Results: Compared to ST, a greater percentage of participants in PPT-S were abstinent at 8 weeks, 16 weeks, and 26 weeks, but these differences were nonsignificant. In a more statistically powerful longitudinal model, participants in PPT-S had a significantly higher odds of abstinence (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.75; 95% CI = 1.02, 7.42; p = .046) across follow-ups compared to those in ST. The positive effect of PPT-S was stronger for those higher in PA (OR = 6.69, 95% CI = 1.16, 38.47, p = .03). Greater use of PPT-S strategies during the initial 8 weeks of quitting was associated with a less steep decline in smoking abstinence rates over time (OR = 2.64, 95% CI = 1.06, 6.56, p =.04).

Conclusion: This trial suggests substantial promise for incorporating PPT into smoking cessation treatment.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01451814.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
CONSORT diagram showing participant flow. CONSORT = Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials; PPT = positive psychotherapy; ST = standard treatment.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
PANAS scores over the 6 sessions of counseling and the 3 follow-ups. Error bars represent standard errors. PANAS = Positive Affect and Negative Affect Scales; NA= Negative Affect; PA = Positive Affect. Scores on each scale can range from 0 to 40. ST = standard treatment. PPT-S = positive psychotherapy for smoking cessation.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
CES-D Scores over the 6 sessions of counseling and the 3 follow-ups. Error bars represent standard errors. CES-D = Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Total scores can range from 0 to 60. Positive Affect scores are the item average for positive affect items on the CES-D and range from 0 to 3. ST = standard treatment. PPT-S = positive psychotherapy for smoking cessation.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Berlin I, Covey LS. Pre-cessation depressive mood predicts failure to quit smoking: the role of coping and personality traits. Addiction. 2006;101:1814–1821. - PubMed
    1. Fond G, Guillaume S, Artero S, et al. Self-reported major depressive symptoms at baseline impact abstinence prognosis in smoking cessation program. A one-year prospective study. J Affect Disord. 2013;149:418–421. - PubMed
    1. Kinnunen T, Doherty K, Militello FS, Garvey AJ. Depression and smoking cessation: Characteristics of depressed smokers and effects of nicotine dependence. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1996;64:791–798. - PubMed
    1. Leventhal AM, Ramsey SE, Brown RA, LaChance HR, Kahler CW. Dimensions of depressive symptoms and smoking cessation. Nicotine Tob Res. 2008;10:507–517. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Burgess ES, Brown RA, Kahler CW, et al. Patterns of change in depressive symptoms during smoking cessation: who’s at risk for relapse? J Consult Clin Psychol. 2002;70:356–361. - PMC - PubMed

Publication types

Associated data