REACTIVITY TO SMOKING CUES - MEDIATING ROLES OF NICOTINE DEPENDENCE AND DURATION OF DEPRIVATION

This study examined the roles of nicotine dependence and duration of s moking deprivation as mediators of smoking cue reactivity in 117 indiv iduals enrolled in treatment. Participants were randomly assigned to 1 5, 90, or 180 min of deprivation; all were exposed to smoking cues (ob serving a research assistant smoke a cigarette) while a variety of sel f-report, behavioral, and psychophysiological measurements were obtain ed. Results indicated that in general, psychophysiological reactivity to smoking-relevant cues was greater with increasing deprivation; hear t rate analysis revealed an interaction between nicotine dependence an d duration of deprivation. Smoking desire, negative affect, physical w ithdrawal symptoms, and other ratings were interrelated during cue exp osure, and generally demonstrated predicted relationships with the ind ependent variables. Multiple regression analysis revealed that desire to smoke during cue exposure was predicted by a combination of psychop hysiological, self-report. and demographic variables. These findings h ave implications for methodological considerations and theoretical und erpinnings of smoking cue reactivity research.