CIGARETTE-SMOKING UNDER STRESS - THE ROLE OF COPING EXPECTANCIES AMONG SMOKERS IN A CLINIC-BASED SMOKING CESSATION PROGRAM

This study examined 2 expectancies to explain smoking under stress: sm okers' expectations about their ability to cope with stress while rema ining abstinent and their expectations about the stress-ameliorating a nd coping benefits of smoking under stress. The interaction of the exp ectancies concurrently predicted smoking urge under stress, which, in turn, predicted subsequent smoking. The interaction of posttreatment e xpectancies prospectively predicted smoking status 3 months after trea tment, although the coping benefits of smoking expectancy effect was r eversed. Expectations about coping ability increased and expectations about the coping benefits of smoking decreased as a function of partic ipating in a smoking cessation program. The discrepant concurrent and prospective findings, reasons that coping expectancies are associated with smoking under stress, and treatment implications are discussed.