THE EFFECTS OF SMOKING SCHEDULES ON CESSATION OUTCOME - CAN WE IMPROVE ON COMMON METHODS OF GRADUAL AND ABRUPT NICOTINE WITHDRAWAL

This study compared the efficacy of 2 traditional methods of smoking c essation, gradual reduction and ''cold turkey,'' with a new approach i nvolving variation in the intercigarette interval. One hundred twenty- eight participants quit smoking on a target date, after a 3-week perio d of (a) scheduled reduced smoking (progressive increase in the interc igarette interval), (b) nonscheduled reduced smoking (gradual reductio n, no specific change in the intercigarette interval), (c) scheduled n onreduced smoking (fixed intercigarette interval, no reductions in fre quency), or (c) nonscheduled nonreduced smoking (no change in intercig arette interval or smoking frequency). Participants also received cogn itive-behavioral relapse prevention training. Abstinence at 1 year ave raged 44%, 18%, 32%, and 22% for the 4 groups, respectively. Overall, the scheduled reduced group performed the best and the nonscheduled re duced group performed the worst. Both scheduled groups performed bette r than nonscheduled ones. Scheduled reduced smoking was associated wit h reduced tension, fatigue, urges to smoke, withdrawal symptoms, incre ased coping effort (ratio of coping behavior to urges), and self-effic acy, suggesting an improved adaptation to nonsmoking and reduced vulne rability to relapse.