NCT02413814

Computerized Anger-Reduction Treatment for Smoking Cessation

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 100 (actual)
• Sponsor: Florida State University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Problematic anger is a strong predictor of failed attempts at smoking cessation. The investigators proposed study seeks to evaluate whether a novel 8-session computerized anger-reduction treatment improves quit rates among smokers. Smokers with elevated trait anger will be administered transdermal nicotine patch therapy and either anger-reduction treatment or a control intervention. They will be assessed throughout treatment and up until three months after a scheduled mid- treatment quit date. The investigators propose to test whether, compared to the control condition, the anger-reduction treatment will lead to: 1) greater reductions in anger and 2) greater abstinence rates at post-cessation and at follow-up assessments. The investigators will also test whether changes in anger-related symptoms account for group differences in abstinence rates.

Detailed description

The current proposal seeks to evaluate an eight-session, computerized, anger-focused intervention for smokers (Anger Reduction Treatment or ART). The investigators will administer this intervention to smokers (N = 114) who are interested in quitting and have elevated levels of trait anger. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either: (1) computerized ART, consisting of interpretation bias modification, or (2) a computerized control condition, which consists of health education and relaxing video clips. The computerized sessions (eight total) will take place twice a week for four weeks. All participants will have a scheduled quit date for the beginning of the third week of treatment (i.e., at mid-treatment). All participants will also receive nicotine patch therapy to use at their scheduled quit date. Anger symptoms, smoking cravings, and smoking frequency will be assessed throughout treatment. Smoking status, anger, and other measures of negative affect will also be assessed at baseline and regularly for 12-weeks following the scheduled quit date. The investigators will test whether, compared to the control condition, the anger-reduction treatment will lead to: 1) greater reductions in anger and 2) greater abstinence rates at post-cessation and at follow-up assessments. The investigators will also test whether changes in anger-related symptoms account for group differences in abstinence rates.

Conditions

• Anger
• Smoking Cessation

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Anger Reduction Treatment	Eight 30-minute sessions of interpretation modification to reduce angry interpretation biases.
BEHAVIORAL	Control Condition	Eight 30-minute sessions of informative videos on healthy living and relaxation videos.

Timeline

• Start date: 2015-04-01
• Primary completion: 2019-07-30
• Completion: 2019-07-30
• First posted: 2015-04-10
• Last updated: 2021-01-28

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States