Behavior therapy and the transdermal nicotine patch: Effects on cessation outcome, affect, and coping.

The process and outcome of a smoking cessation program using behavior therapy alone (BT) or behavior therapy plus the nicotine patch (BTP) was studied in 64 participants. Participants quit smoking on a target date after a period of ad libitum smoking, cognitive-behavior therapy preparing them for cessation, and behavioral rehearsal for high-risk situations, including stress management, and coping with negative affect. Abstinence was significantly higher for the BTP group versus the BT group from the end of behavioral treatment (79% vs. 63%) through the 3-month follow-up (pp?=?.06) and 12-month marks (p?=?38% vs. 22%). More general distress was observed among BT versus BTP participants ( i.e., increased withdrawal, tension, fatigue, and coping frequency with decreased coping effort; coping-to-urge ratio). The coping behavior of the BTP group may have been more effective than that of the BT group, as indicated by their significantly higher level of self-efficacy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)