ABSTRACT

Motivated by health concerns, spurred on by social pressure, and aided by efficacious treatments, many smokers have managed to stop smoking. For a certain group of smokers, however, this outcome has been shortlived, as within months, weeks, or even days for some, a relapse to smoking occurs. Indeed, it has been documented that 1 year after a quit attempt, about 90% of would-be ex-smokers will have gone back to smoking (Fiore et al., 1990). Numerous studies have shown that negative affects such as anxiety, depression, and anger are the most frequent precipitants of smoking relapse (see Carmody, 1989, for an extensive review). In support of those findings, it has also been shown that smokers who suffer from concomitant psychological or psychiatric problems, including depressive disorders and anxiety, have markedly lower rates of quitting than other smokers (Covey, Hughes, Glassman, Blazer, & George, 1994; Glassman, 1993; Hall, Munoz, & Reus, 1994). This evidence indicates that smoking cessation treatments need to address the apparent dynamic association between negative emotional states and a return to smoking.