A cross-lagged path analysis of five intrapersonal determinants of smoking cessation

Abstract

Background Prominent theories of drug use underscore the importance of considering the inter-relationships (e.g., reciprocal relations, indirect effects) of determinants of drug use behavior. In the area of smoking, few studies have examined multiple determinants of cessation in this way, and in prospective analyses. The current study is an examination of the prospective cross-lagged relationships among five intrapersonal determinants of cessation: Methods Data from a longitudinal cohort study on racial differences in the process of smoking cessation were used to examine reciprocal relations among abstinence motivation, abstinence self-efficacy, positive affect, negative affect, and craving. Each of these five measures assessed on the quit day were regressed onto the same measures assessed 1–2 weeks pre-quit. The relationships of these variables at quit day with 1-week post-quit abstinence from smoking were also examined. Results When the five variables were examined simultaneously in a cross-lagged path analysis, motivation and self-efficacy, and self-efficacy and positive affect showed cross-lagged relations. Only self-efficacy on the quit day uniquely predicted 1-week post quit abstinence. There were significant indirect effects of motivation and positive affect on cessation via self-efficacy. Conclusions The current study reaffirms the importance of motivation and self-efficacy in smoking cessation, and suggests that positive affect may play a role in smoking cessation.

A clinical trial to examine disparities in quitting between African-American and White adult smokers: Design, accrual, and baseline characteristics

“…In addition, we are conducting assessments at multiple time points, which will allow for the examination of how factors differ at baseline and change over time for African American and White and how these differences are related to cessation. Few longitudinal comparisons have been conducted to provide evidence of differences in factors that facilitate quitting for African American and White [29, 30]. …”

“…Existing trials have often enrolled unequal proportions of African American and White smokers and, because examination of racial differences in cessation was not the primary aim, were underpowered to make such comparisons [19, 22]. Others have relied on self-reported abstinence [23, 24], which is prone to misreporting and overestimation of abstinence [25–28], reported abstinence at early (e.g., Weeks 1–4) but not later time points (e.g., Week 26) [29, 30], or been conducted in special treatment settings (e.g., Veterans Affairs patients, smokers in the criminal justice system) which limits generalizability of the findings [23, 31]. Existing studies have also not been stratified by race on age or gender or ensured recruitment of African American and White smokers of comparable socioeconomic status (SES) [20, 21], all key factors known to impact smoking cessation [32, 24, 33–38].…”

Determinants of Smoking and Cessation Among Latinos: Challenges and Implications for Research

“…In tobacco research, behavioral patterns of smoking are widely used as indicators of physical dependence. The general pattern of Latino smokers differs notably from that of non‐Latino White smokers in that they smoke fewer cigarettes per day and are more likely to be “light smokers” (typically defined as less than 10 cigarettes per day; Benowitz, Bernert, Caraballo, Holiday, & Wang, ; Caraballo et al, ; Daza et al, ; Lawrence, Fagan, Backinger, Gibson, & Hartman, ; Trinidad et al, ; Trinidad et al, ), are more likely to smoke on a non‐daily basis (Lawrence et al, ; Trinidad et al, ; Trinidad et al, ), and wait longer after waking to smoke (Branstetter, Mercincavage, & Muscat, ; Castro et al, ; Daza et al, ; Trinidad et al, ).…”

Motivation Among Exoffenders Exiting Treatment: The Role of Abstinence Self-Efficacy

“…However, other research evidence is mixed. On the one hand, motivation was found to be positively related to abstinence self-efficacy among persons attempting to quit smoking (Castro et al, 2014), while on the other hand, brief motivational interventions were not found to increase abstinence self-efficacy among persons with alcohol use disorders (Romo et al, 2009). There is a need to examine the relationships between these recovery resources among persons with substance used disorders to better understand intrapersonal dynamics of recovery-related change.…”