Influence of anxiety sensitivity in a psychological smoking cessation intervention

Abstract

Currently, smoking is a major risk factor for quality of life and physical and psychological health. On the other hand, anxiety sensitivity (AS) is involved not only in the development and maintenance of smoking behaviour, but also in smoking cessation and relapse. The aim of this study is to assess what correlation AS has to achieving abstinence at the end of a psychological intervention for smoking cessation, and to other smoking-related variables. After the intervention, participants who failed to quit smoking were those with higher AS scores and higher nicotine dependence. Thus, AS affects quitting smoking, which has important clinical implications for the intervention process and its results.