Cognitive-behavioral treatment for depression in smoking cessation

Cigarette smokers with past major depressive disorder (MDD) received 8 grou p sessions of standard, cognitive-behavioral smoking cessation treatment (S T; n = 93) or standard, cognitive-behavioral smoking cessation treatment pl us cognitive-behavioral treatment for depression (CBT-D; n = 86). Although abstinence rates were high in both conditions (ST, 24.7%; CBT-D, 32.5%, at 1 year) for these nonpharmacological treatments, no main effect of treatmen t was found. However, secondary analyses revealed significant interactions between treatment condition and both recurrent depression history and heavy smoking (greater than or equal to 25 cigarettes a day) at baseline. Smoker s with recurrent MDD and heavy smokers who received CBT-D were significantl y more likely to be abstinent than those receiving ST (odds ratios = 2.3 an d 2.6, respectively). Results suggest that CBT-D provides specific benefits for some, but not all, smokers with a history of MDD.