Perceived Stress and Smoking Cessation: The Role of Smoking Urges

Abstract

Despite the fact that perceived stress is related to abstinence smoking outcomes, no studies have investigated the mediational effect of specific tobacco-related variables on this relationship. This study aimed to explore the indirect effect of perceived stress on abstinence at the end of treatment through smoking urges. The sample comprised 260 treatment-seeking smokers (58.5% female; Mage = 46.00; SD = 11.1) who underwent psychological smoking cessation treatment. The brief version of the Questionnaire of Smoking Urges (QSU) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS14) were used. Mediation analyses were conducted in which smoking urges and their dimensions were potential mediators in the relationship between perceived stress and abstinence at the end of treatment. The results showed a non-significant direct effect of perceived stress on abstinence. However, a significant indirect effect was found through smoking urges (QSU-total) and, specifically, through smoking urges associated with the expectation of negative affect relief (QSU-Factor 2). A non-significant indirect effect through smoking urges related to the expectation of tobacco use as a pleasurable experience (QSU-Factor 1) was also found. Analyzing possible mediator variables could contribute to understanding previous conflicting data. These findings point to potential interest in including treatment components targeting perceived stress and smoking urges to improve the effectiveness of smoking cessation treatments.

National prevalence of smoking among adolescents at tobacco tax increase and COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea, 2005–2022

“…Conversely, concerning the sustained increase in CSP associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, adolescents with high academic performance notably shifted from a previously declining trend observed across all academic performance levels before the pandemic to a significant increasing trend. Stress and depression resulting from the prolonged duration of the COVID-19 pandemic may have led even adolescents who originally had good mental health and high academic performance to resort to smoking as a means of stress relief 30 . The link between these factors and adolescent smoking behavior may be attributed to stress and anxiety, known triggers for smoking, heightened by the pandemic’s circumstances 16 , 19 .…”