Depression and smoking in a smoking cessation programme

Background: The aim of this study has been to investigate the effect of depressive symptoms on the results of a smoking cessation programme. Method: 186 received a multicomponent behavioural programme. At 12-month follow-up 160 subjects were contacted. Depression symptoms pretreatment and at the 12-month follow-up were evaluated using the Beck Depression Inventory (Beck et al., 1979. Cognitive Therapy of Depression. Guilford Press, New York.). Results: Smokers at 12-month follow-up had a mean score of 7.1 (S.D. = 5.8) and abstainers had a score of 5.2 (S.D. = 5.4). Depressive symptoms at 12 month follow-up were associated with smoking cessation at 12 month follow-up (t(1,158) = 1.98, P < 0.05), but depressive symptoms at baseline and smoking cessation end of treatment were not. Limitations: The most important limitation in study has been the size of the sample (particularly in abstainers). Clinical relevance: Depressive symptoms have an influence on efficacy at the 12-month follow-up, but not at the end of treatment. It does not seem necessary, for the moment, to introduce specific interventions targeted at the modification of negative mood. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.