Role of perceived discrimination and anxiety sensitivity in cigarette smoking among english-speaking latinx adults living in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: The Latinx/Hispanic (hereafter, Latinx) population in the United States (US) experiences significant tobacco-related health disparities. Extant work suggests social determinants of health (SDoH) such as perceived discrimination is an individual differences factor for cigarette smoking behavior among Latinx individuals who smoke cigarettes. Other research has suggested sensitivity to internal cues, referred to as anxiety sensitivity, is related to smoking among Latinx adults, but this work has not explored whether anxiety sensitivity may moderate the association between perceived discrimination and smoking behavior. METHOD: Therefore, the present investigation sought to explore the main and interactive association of perceived discrimination and anxiety sensitivity in relation to cigarettes smoked per day, severity of problems experienced when quitting, and perceived barriers for smoking cessation among 338 English-speaking Latinx individuals living in the US (Mage = 35.5 years; SD = 8.65; age range 18-61; 37.3% female) who smoke cigarettes. RESULTS: Results supported statistically significant main effects for perceived discrimination and anxiety sensitivity in relation to increased severity of problems experienced when quitting and perceived barriers for smoking cessation. These associations were evident after adjusting for a sociodemographic covariates. CONCLUSION: Overall, the present investigation suggests that both perceived discrimination and anxiety sensitivity are important constructs relevant to understanding smoking processes among Latinx adults who smoke cigarettes and should be integrated in theoretical models of smoking among this population.

Efficacy of Web-Delivered Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for Helping Black Adults Quit Smoking.

BACKGROUND: Digital smoking cessation interventions may reduce racial disparities in cessation because they are low cost, scalable, and can provide support at any place or time. Despite their promise, whether Black adults engage with and benefit from these tools is largely unknown. In a secondary analysis of a randomized trial, we explored the efficacy of an acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)-based website (WebQuit) for smoking cessation compared to a US clinical practice guidelines-based website (Smokefree.gov) among Black adults. METHODS: A total of 316 Black adult smokers were enrolled in the trial between May 2017 and September 2018 and received access to WebQuit or Smokefree for 12 months. Participants self-reported on 30-day and 7-day abstinence from cigarette smoking at 3, 6, and 12-months. Treatment engagement was objectively measured and compared between arms. Participants also reported on their willingness to accept cues to smoke without smoking. RESULTS: WebQuit versus Smokefree participants engaged more with their website (higher number of logins, Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR) = 2.21; 95% CI: 1.70, 2.89). Complete-case 30-day point prevalence abstinence (PPA) at 12-months was 34% for WebQuit vs. 29% for Smokefree (OR = 1.22 95% CI: 0.73, 2.04). Increases in participants' willingness to accept cues to smoke mediated the intervention effect on abstinence from cigarette smoking at 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: This study addressed the lack of research on the utilization and efficacy of digital interventions for helping Black adults quit smoking. WebQuit participants engaged more with their website and quit smoking at a somewhat higher rate relative to Smokefree participants, albeit nonsignificant. Findings suggest high acceptability of ACT-based digital interventions to enable Black adult smokers to engage and sustain behavior changes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01812278.

Efficacy of an acceptance and commitment therapy-based smartphone application for helping rural populations quit smoking: Results from the iCanQuit randomized trial.

Limited access to evidence-based smoking cessation interventions among rural populations contributes to high rates of cigarette smoking and poor cessation outcomes. Yet, accessible digital interventions for cessation focusing on rural populations are lacking. In a secondary analysis, we determined the acceptability and efficacy of an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-based smartphone application (iCanQuit) relative to a U.S. Clinical Practice Guidelines (USCPG)-based smartphone application (QuitGuide) for smoking cessation among rural participants enrolled in the two-arm randomized iCanQuit trial. Participants were enrolled between May 2017 and September 2018 and randomized to either receive iCanQuit or QuitGuide for 12-months. Rural residence was determined by sub-county level Rural-Urban Commuting Area codes. A total of 550 rural participants were recruited from 43 U.S. states. Self-reported complete-case 30-day point-prevalence abstinence was 15% (33/226) for iCanQuit vs. 9% (22/253) for QuitGuide at 3-months (OR = 1.83; 95% CI: 1.03, 3.25) and 29% (66/231) for iCanQuit vs. 25% (64/288) for QuitGuide at 12-months (OR = 1.19 95% CI: 0.80, 1.79). Retention rate was 89% at 12-months and did not differ by arm. iCanQuit vs. QuitGuide participants were significantly more engaged and satisfied with the iCanQuit application. Increased acceptance of internal cues to smoke mediated the effect of treatment on cessation. Findings suggest that iCanQuit had significantly higher short-term quit rates, descriptively higher long-term quit rates, and operated through its hypothesized mechanisms of action relative to QuitGuide. Future larger studies are needed to further evaluate the efficacy of and methods for disseminating the iCanQuit application for smoking cessation among U.S. rural adults nationwide. Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02724462.

Full-scale Randomized Trial Comparing Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Telephone-Delivered Coaching With Standard Telephone-Delivered Coaching Among Medicare/Uninsured Quitline Callers.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to compare Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) telephone-delivered coaching with standard quitline (QL) telephone-delivered coaching. METHODS: Medicare/uninsured adults (analyzable sample N = 1170) who smoked at least 10 cigarettes per day were recruited from Optum, a major US provider of QL services, in a two-arm stratified double-blind randomized trial with main outcome of self-reported missing = smoking 30-day point prevalence abstinence (PPA) at the 12-month follow-up. Participants were mean (SD) age 47.4 (12.7), 61% female, and 72% white race. Five sessions of telephone-delivered ACT or QL interventions were offered. Both arms included combined nicotine patch (4 weeks) and gum or lozenge (2 weeks). RESULTS: The 12-month follow-up data retention rate was 67.8%. ACT participants reported their treatment was more useful for quitting smoking (92.0% for ACT vs. 82.3% for QL; odds ratio [OR] = 2.48; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.53 to 4.00). Both arms had similar 12-month cessation outcomes (missing = smoking 30-day PPA: 24.6% for ACT vs. 28.8% for QL; OR =.81; 95% CI: 0.62 to 1.05) and the ACT arm trended toward greater reductions in number cigarettes smoked per day (-5.6 for ACT vs. -1.7 QL, among smokers; p = .075). CONCLUSIONS: ACT telephone-delivered coaching was more satisfying, engaging, and was as effective as standard QL telephone-delivered coaching. ACT may help those who fail to quit after standard coaching or who choose not to use nicotine replacement therapy. IMPLICATIONS: In a sample of Medicare and uninsured QL callers, a large randomized trial with long-term follow-up showed that ACT) telephone-delivered coaching was more satisfying, engaging, and was as effective as standard QL telephone-delivered coaching-which has followed the same behavior change approach since the 1990s. This newer model of coaching might be a welcome addition to QL services.

Links Between Communication and Relationship Satisfaction Among Patients With Cancer and Their Spouses: Results of a Fourteen-Day Smartphone-Based Ecological Momentary Assessment Study.

Cancer treatment poses significant challenges not just for those diagnosed with the disease but also for their intimate partners. Evidence suggests that couples' communication plays a major role in the adjustment of both individuals and in the quality of their relationship. Most descriptive studies linking communication to adjustment have relied on traditional questionnaire methodologies and cross-sectional designs, limiting external validity and discernment of temporal patterns. Using the systemic-transactional model of dyadic coping as a framework, we examined intra- and inter-personal associations between communication (both enacted and perceived) and relationship satisfaction (RS) among patients with stage II-IV breast or colorectal cancer and their spouses (N = 107 couples). Participants (mean age = 51, 64.5% female patients, and 37.4% female spouses) independently completed twice-daily ecological momentary assessments (EMA) via smartphone for 14 consecutive days. Items assessed RS and communication (expression of feelings, holding back from expression, support and criticism of partner, and parallel ratings of partner behavior). Linear mixed models employing an Actor Partner Interdependence Model were used to examine concurrent, time-lagged, and cross-lagged associations between communication and RS. Expressing one's feelings was unassociated with RS. Holding back from doing so, in contrast, was associated with lower RS for both patients and spouses in concurrent models. These effects were both intrapersonal and interpersonal, meaning that when individuals held back from expressing their feelings, they reported lower RS and so too did their partner. Giving and receiving support were associated with one's own higher RS for both patients and spouses in concurrent models, and for patients in lagged models. Conversely, criticizing one's partner and feeling criticized were maladaptive, associated with lower RS (own and in some cases, partner's). Cross-lagged analyses (evening RS to next-day afternoon communication) yielded virtually no effects, suggesting that communication may have a stronger influence on short-term RS than the reverse. Findings underscore the importance of responsive communication, more so than expression per se, in explaining both concurrent and later relationship adjustment. In addition, a focus on holding back from expressing feelings may enhance the understanding of RS for couples coping with cancer.

Predictors of cessation treatment outcome and treatment moderators among smoking parents receiving quitline counselling or self-help material.

OBJECTIVE: Several cessation treatments effectively enhance cessation, but it is not always clear which treatment may be most suitable for a particular client. We examined predictors of treatment outcome and treatment moderators among smoking parents in the Netherlands. METHOD: We conducted secondary analyses of a randomized controlled trial in which smoking parents received either quitline counselling (n=256) or a self-help brochure (n=256). Data collection was completed in October 2012. Endpoints were 7-day point prevalence abstinence and 6-month prolonged abstinence at 12-month follow-up. Potential predictors and moderators included socio-demographic characteristics, smoking-related variables, and child-related variables. RESULTS: Male gender, higher employment status, lower daily cigarette consumption, higher levels of confidence in quitting, presence of a child with a chronic respiratory illness, and wanting to quit for the health of one's child predicted abstinence at 12months. Significant treatment moderators were intention to quit and educational level. Quitline counselling was effective regardless of intention to quit and educational level, but self-help material was less effective among less motivated and lower educated parents. CONCLUSION: Certain subgroups of smokers, such as parents who are concerned about the health of their child, are particularly receptive to cessation support. Individual characteristics should be considered in treatment selections.

Adolescent psychological and social predictors of young adult smoking acquisition and cessation: A 10-year longitudinal study.

OBJECTIVE: A 10-year follow-up study to test the extent to which theory-based adolescent psychological and social factors directly predict and moderate the prediction of young adult smoking acquisition and cessation. DESIGN: A prospective community-based sample. A total of 2,970 adolescents participated in the large Washington State Hutchinson Smoking Prevention Project (HSPP) longitudinal cohort. As predictors, psychological factors (i.e., parentnoncompliance, friendcompliance, rebelliousness, achievement motivation, and thrill seeking) and social environmental factors (i.e., parent's and friend's smoking) were measured when adolescents were 17-18 years old. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: As main outcome measures, smoking acquisition and cessation were assessed both at ages 18 and 28. RESULTS: Psychological and social factors predicted 3% to 7% probability (p < .05) of smoking acquisition and a nonsignificant to 24% probability (p < .05) of smoking continuation (not quitting) in young adulthood. Both friendcompliance and rebelliousness were more powerful predictors of young adult-smoking continuation than of smoking acquisition. CONCLUSION: First evidence that parent noncompliance, friend compliance, and a lack of achievement motivation predict smoking acquisition and (with the exception of parent noncompliance) smoking continuation in young adulthood. Including these psychological factors in future interventions designed to promote young adult smoking cessation may be useful.

Acceptance and commitment therapy for smoking cessation: a preliminary study of its effectiveness in comparison with cognitive behavioral therapy.

This controlled preliminary trial determined the feasibility and initial effectiveness of a promising behavioral intervention for smoking: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). In a quasi-experimental design, the ACT intervention condition used metaphors and experiential exercises focused on personal values to motivate quitting smoking and enhancing the willingness to experience internal cues to smoke (e.g., urges) and abstinence-related internal distress. The comparison condition was cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)--the current standard in behavioral intervention for smoking cessation. Each treatment was delivered in seven weekly 90-min sessions in a group format to 81 (43 in ACT; 38 in CBT) adult smokers. Results show that the ACT treatment was as feasible as the CBT treatment. They also demonstrate promising evidence of ACT's effectiveness: 30.2% intent-to-treat biochemically-supported 30-day point prevalence at twelve month follow-up, compared with 13.2% in the CBT condition (odds ratio = 5.13; p = .02). Replication in a well-powered, randomized, controlled trial is now needed.

Psychological and social risk factors in adolescent smoking transitions: a population-based longitudinal study.

OBJECTIVE: This study longitudinally investigated psychological and social risk factors consistent with the Theory of Triadic Influence (TTI) as predictors of adolescent smoking transitions. DESIGN: Among 4218 adolescents, five psychological risk factors (i.e., parent-noncompliance, friend-compliance, rebelliousness, low achievement motivation, and thrill seeking) were assessed in 9th grade (age 14), two social influence risk factors (i.e., parents' and close friends' smoking) were assessed in Grades 3 (age 8) and 9 (age 14), respectively. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Adolescent smoking transitions occurring between the 9th and 12th (ages 14-17) grade interval. RESULTS: The probabilities contributed by each of the five psychological risk factors to the overall probability of making a specific smoking transition were: 22% to 27% for the transition from never to trying smoking, 10% to 13% for the transition from trying to monthly smoking, and, for three of the five risk factors, 11% to 16% for the transition from monthly to daily smoking. For predicting trying smoking, the probability contributed by these psychological factors was greater than the probability contributed by each parent's and close friend's smoking. Parent-compliance had a higher contribution to the probability of trying smoking when an adolescent's parent smoked (p < .05), whereas friend-compliance had a higher contribution to the probability of trying smoking when an adolescent's friend smoked (p < .001). CONCLUSION: These psychological and social factors have an important influence on adolescent smoking transitions. Implications for TTI and smoking prevention interventions are discussed.