Does using relapse prevention increase the efficacy of a program for smoking cessation? An empirical study

The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of relapse prevention taught as a problem-solving procedure in increasing the efficacy of a behavioral program for smoking cessation at short-and longer-term, 12-mo. follow-up. 75 smokers were assigned randomly to two treatment groups, using an additional 40 smokers who attended an information session but did not receive any treatment session as a control group. The first group (n=40) received the standard behavioral multicomponent program of Becona. The program included motivational contract, self-monitoring, information on smoking, nicotine fading, stimulus control, avoidance of withdrawal symptoms, physiological feedback, and progressive self-control. The second group (n=36), the relapse prevention group, were given the above program and an additional component of relapse prevention using a problem solving procedure. Both groups had 8 sessions of treatment. Analysis showed that at the end of treatment abstinence in the two groups was 80.0% and 61.1%, respectively, at the 12-mo. follow-ups 30.0% and 36.1%. These differences were not significant; however, both groups were significantly different from the control group at the end of treatment (0% abstinence) and at 12-mo. follow-ups (2.5% abstinence). These results show that the addition of this relapse prevention does not increase the number of smokers who quit or decrease the number who relapse. Further research should focus on the process of relapse and develop more effective procedures to help maintain abstinence.