No abstract

Tobacco dependence is a serious public health concern. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has issued a practice guideline of best practices to encourage all health care providers to intervene with tobacco-dependent individuals they encounter. Psychologists may be ideally suited to implement brief tobacco interventions due to their expertise in behavior change strategies and interpersonal counseling skills. This study sought to investigate current tobacco assessment and intervention practices and perceptions of responsibility for tobacco intervention among a regional sample of licensed, practicing psychologists. Results suggest that a majority of psychologists fall far short of the ideal best practices recommended in the practice guideline, and many are unaware of the availability of the guidelines. Further, psychologists in this study perceived tobacco intervention to be a greater responsibility of physicians and other health care providers than of psychologists and other mental health professionals.

Motivational Interviewing is an evidence-based brief intervention for helping people change problematic health behaviors. The development of motivational interviewing was influenced, in part, by the social psychology literature, especially the concept of psychological reactance. This paper argues for expanding the influence of social psychological processes upon the practice of motivational interviewing by reviewing three relevant processes: defensive bias, message framing, and cognitive-affective ambivalence. Relevant research findings are reviewed and specific recommendations are offered for future research and enhancing the practice of motivational interviewing.