The influence of Mindfulness and General Wellbeing in clinical treatment of tobacco smokers enrolled in a cessation program. A short and long-term evaluation

Journal title RICERCHE DI PSICOLOGIA
Author/s Olimpia Pino, Giuliano Giucastro, Roberta Crespi
Publishing Year 2020 Issue 2020/3
Language Italian Pages 22 P. 849-870 File size 279 KB
DOI 10.3280/RIP2020-003004
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Cigarette smoking is a complex phenomenon and its consequences for hu-man body are increasingly known. Basing on the results from previous research on relationship between Mindfulness and smoking abstinence in which it emer-ged that subjects who had high levels of dispositional Mindfulness had a greater chance of success in a smoking cessation program, the aim of the present study was to extend the analysis in a larger group of individuals subjected to pharma-cological treatment and motivational counselling, which were monitored both at the first 24-h of complete abstention and at the follow-up. The study involved 53 individuals who participated to a smoke cessation program completing the Fa-gerström Test of Nicotine Dependence (FTND), the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Abstinence was recorded in several sessions also through the quantitative determination of the value of carbon monoxide on the expired air (CO) from the lungs that contribu-tes to a greater objectivity of the outcome measure. Data did not confirm the role of Mindfulness as a predictor of abstinence. MAAS and GHQ-12 scores did not result in relationship with the outcome of nicotine cessation program. Therefore, Mindfulness construct would seem not to be a predictor of success in a smoking cessation program. The use of more sensitive tools in detecting the Mindfulness trait could lead to appropriate results as a more structured cognitive behavioural treatment could be contributing to support habitual smokers quit.

Keywords: Nicotine addiction, tobacco addiction, smoking, smoke cessation programs, mindfulness.

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Olimpia Pino, Giuliano Giucastro, Roberta Crespi, L’influenza della mindfulness e del benessere generale nel trattamento clinico dei fumatori di tabacco in un programma di disassuefazione. Una valutazione a breve e lungo termine in "RICERCHE DI PSICOLOGIA " 3/2020, pp 849-870, DOI: 10.3280/RIP2020-003004