Examining Outcome Expectancies and Behavioral Reinforcers Among Young Adult Smokers
- Conditions
- Smoking Cessation
- Interventions
- Behavioral: ControlBehavioral: Expectancy ChallengeBehavioral: Expectancy Challenge + Behavioral Activation
- Registration Number
- NCT04383782
- Lead Sponsor
- American University
- Brief Summary
Chronic cigarette smoking habits often begin in adolescence or early adulthood. 98% of cigarette smokers try their first cigarette before the age of 26. Thus, young adult smokers represent an important target for early smoking cessation intervention. This study tests two interventions designed to increase motivation to quit and decrease smoking behavior. These interventions include: an expectancy challenge approach, which aims to increase negative beliefs about the consequences of smoking; and a behavioral economics approach, which encourages participants to substitute non-smoking behaviors that may still provide reinforcement similar to reinforcement derived from smoking a cigarette.
- Detailed Description
Not available
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- COMPLETED
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 159
- 18-35 years old
- English fluency
- Living in the United States
- Smoked at least 1 cigarette per week during the past month
- Willing to be contacted for 1-month follow up assessment
- N/A
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Neutral Reading Control The control group will receive neutral reading materials related to the components and structure of a cigarette. The content will be strictly curated so as to avoid inadvertently encouraging or discouraging smoking among participants. Expectancy Challenge Expectancy Challenge The expectancy challenge intervention will involve two brief videotaped testimonials in which former smokers discuss their experiences with smoking-related health conditions. Participants will be encouraged to reflect back on the content of each video once per week leading up to the follow-up assessment. Expectancy Challenge + Behavioral Activation Expectancy Challenge + Behavioral Activation In addition to the expectancy challenge intervention (see Expectancy Challenge condition), participants in the Expectancy Challenge + Behavioral Activation group will also receive a novel behavioral activation intervention. Participants will be presented with brief psychoeducation about behavioral activation, several examples of possible functions of cigarette smoking, and several suggestions of behavioral strategies. All participants will receive the same information, but they will be encouraged to apply the information to their personal circumstances and to consider additional examples of rewarding activities they may engage in over the next four weeks. Participants will also be encouraged to engage in at least one behavioral activation activity each week leading up to the follow-up assessment.
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Motivation to quit 4-week follow up Contemplation ladder score (range 0-10; higher scores indicate more motivation to quit)
Quit attempt 4-week follow up yes/no, whether or not the participant made a 24-hour (or longer) quit attempt between the date of the main experiment and the date of the 4-week follow-up assessment.
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Smoking rate 4-week follow up past month average self-reported smoking rate
Behavioral reinforcers 4-week follow up Pleasant Events Schedule (PES); reported behaviors that are pleasurable and not associated with smoking/urge to smoke
Outcome expectancies 4-week follow up Smoking Consequences Questionnaire (S-SCQ); expected positive and negative consequences of cigarette smoking (range 0-9; higher scores indicate greater positive or negative expectancies)
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
American University
🇺🇸Washington, District of Columbia, United States