Self-Help Quit Smoking Interventions Effects of Self-Help Materials, Social Support Instructions, and Telephone Counseling

• Published in: Journal of consulting and clinical psychology Vol. 59; no. 3; pp. 439 - 448
• Main Authors: Orleans, C. Tracy, Schoenbach, Victor J, Wagner, Edward H, Quade, Dana, Salmon, Mary Anne, Pearson, David C, Fiedler, Judith, Porter, Carol Q, Kaplan, Berton H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Psychological Association 01-06-1991
• Subjects: Addictive behaviors; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Behavior Therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Counseling; Counseling Services; Follow-Up Studies; Hotlines; Human; Humans; Medical sciences; Nicotine - administration & dosage; Patient Compliance - psychology; Programmed Instruction as Topic; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Self Help Programs; Self-Help Techniques; Smoking; Smoking - psychology; Smoking - therapy; Smoking Cessation; Social Support; Social Support Groups; Telephone Communications Systems; Telephone Systems; Tobacco Smoking; Human; Therapeutic efficiency; Treatment; Tobacco smoking; Adult; Behavior therapy; Therapeutic assistance; Social support
• ISSN: 0022-006X; 1939-2117
• DOI: 10.1037/0022-006X.59.3.439

Smokers requesting self-help materials for smoking cessation
(
N
= 2,021)
were randomized to receive (a) an experimental self-quitting guide emphasizing nicotine fading and other nonaversive behavioral strategies, (b) the same self-quitting guide with a support guide for the quitter's family and friends, (c) self-quitting and support guides along with four brief counselor calls, or (d) a control guide providing motivational and quit tips and referral to locally available guides and programs. Subjects were predominantly moderate to heavy smokers with a history of multiple previous quit attempts and treatments. Control subjects achieved quit rates similar to those of smokers using the experimental quitting guide, with fewer behavioral prequitting strategies and more outside treatments. Social support guides had no effect on perceived support for quitting or on 8- and 16-month quit rates. Telephone counseling increased adherence to the quitting protocol and quit rates.