Nicotine dependence, depression, and the moderating role of goal cognitions

The authors examined the moderating role of goal cognitions in the process of nicotine dependence in young adult smokers. A college sample of 85 male and 78 female smokers completed measures of nicotine dependence and psychol ogical distress. They also provided cognitive evaluations for goals related to smoking cessation on scales measuring self-efficacy, value, planning, s elf-reward, self-criticism, self-monitoring, social comparison, and positiv e and negative goal-based arousal, As has been previously established, depr ession had a direct and significant effect on nicotine dependence. Moreover , significant interactions between goal cognitions and depression provided evidence for the hypothesized moderating effect.