Mindfulness training for smoking cessation: Moderation of the relationship between craving and cigarette use

Intro:

This study investigated the psychological mechanisms of how mindfulness helps people quit smoking. It found that mindfulness helps people not act on smoking urges -to “be” with them rather than habitually react. See also Dr. Jud’s overview of smoking cessation strategies and how the habit loop drives addictive behavior.

Background

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the US, while abstinence rates remain modest. Smoking has been shown to be perpetuated by operant conditioning, notably negative reinforcement (e.g., smoking to relieve negative affective states). Mindfulness training (MT) shows promise for smoking cessation, by potentially altering an individual’s tendency to smoke in response to craving. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of MT and mindfulness practice on the relationship between smoking and craving after receiving four weeks of MT.

Methods

33 adults received MT as part of a randomized trial for smoking cessation. Individuals in the MT condition recorded formal and informal mindfulness practice during treatment using daily diaries.

Results

Analyses showed that strong correlations between craving and smoking at baseline (r = 0.582) were attenuated at the end of treatment (r = 0.126). Mindfulness home practice significantly predicted cigarette use (formal: B = −1.21, p = 0.007; informal: B = −1.52, p < 0.0001) and informal practice moderated the relationship between craving and smoking at the end of treatment (B = 0.52, p = 0.03).

Conclusions

These findings suggest that MT may be effective as a treatment for smoking cessation and that informal mindfulness practice predicts a decoupling of the association between craving and smoking.

Reference

Elwafi, H. M., Witkiewitz, K., Mallik, S., Thornhill, T. A., Brewer, J. A., (2013) Drug and Alcohol Dependence 130(1-3): 222-29.   View all of Dr. Jud’s research on Google Scholar.