THE ROLE OF WEIGHT CONCERN AND SELF-EFFICACY IN SMOKING CESSATION ANDWEIGHT-GAIN AMONG SMOKERS IN A CLINIC-BASED CESSATION PROGRAM

Although the majority of smokers are concerned about postcessation wei ght gain, few studies have investigated the prospective relationship b etween weight concern and smoking and weight outcomes; or a mechanism by which concern is related to these outcomes. We investigated the pro spective role of smoking-specific weight concern in smoking cessation and weight gain among participants in a smoking-cessation clinic, and we hypothesized that domain-specific self-efficacy would be a mediator of these relationships. While weight concern did not prospectively pr edict smoking status, increased weight concern predicted weight gain a t the end of treatment and at 3-month follow-up. Self-efficacy for pre venting postcessation weight gain mediated this relationship; lower le vels were related to a greater likelihood of weight gain. Weight gain was found to be associated with subsequent relapse among abstainers. I mplications and treatment recommendations are discussed. (C) 1998 Else vier Science Ltd.