Targeting smokers with low readiness to change with tailored and nontailored self-help materials

Background. Few smoking cessation self-help materials are available for smo kers who are not planning to quit. However, computer-tailored interventions can be designed specifically for these smokers. Methods. In a large randomized field trial (N = 843), two different tailore d smoking cessation self-help interventions (multiple tailoring and single tailoring) and one standardized smoking cessation self-help guide were comp ared with a no-information control group and with each other. The contents of the tailored interventions were adapted to individuals' self-reported st age of change, outcome expectations, self-efficacy levels, and smoking beha vior. Results. The primary outcome measure was forward stage transition. The stan dardized self-help guide had no effect. Among smokers who were not planning to quit within the next 5 years the multiple-tailored intervention was mor e effective than the single-tailored intervention, This pattern was support ed by the cognitive changes caused by the interventions. Among smokers who were planning to quit within the next 5 years but not within the next 6 mon ths, none of the self-help materials had any effect. Conclusion. The present results show that the self-help material currently available in the Netherlands, the standardized self-help guide, was not eff ective among smokers with low readiness to change. However, computer-genera ted tailored interventions seem a promising means of communicating informat ion on smoking and smoking cessation to these smokers. (C) 1999 American He alth Foundation and Academic Press.