Feasibility, tolerability, and potential advantages of a dyadic financial incentive treatment for smoking cessation among dual-smoker couples: A pilot study.

Abstract

As of 2019, 34.1 million adults in the United States smoke cigarettes. People who smoke and who are partnered with other smokers (i.e., dual-smoker couples [DSCs]) represent an estimated two-thirds of U.S. smokers. DSCs face unique obstacles to quitting, are less likely to try to quit, and are more likely to relapse during a quit attempt. Although joint quit attempts hold promise for DSCs' abstinence, few DSCs report trying to quit together. Financial incentive treatments [FITs]-where individuals receive monetary incentives for quitting and maintaining abstinence-increase motivation to quit, and so may help DSCs engage in joint quit attempts. We tested the feasibility and tolerability of adapting a financial incentive treatment to a dyadic context (N = 14 DSCs), in which both individuals of a smoking couple are offered incentives for attendance in a smoking cessation program ($100 USD) and abstinence at follow-up ($100 USD). Ten DSCs (71.4%) completed the follow-up session. Seven participants had biochemically verified abstinence at the follow-up session; of these, six of the seven (86%) were members of DSCs in which both partners were abstinent. Among participants who completed the follow-up session, cravings to smoke and tobacco withdrawal symptom severity were reduced over the study period. Participants rated the study as highly tolerable and listed many benefits and few costs from participation. The present study demonstrates the feasibility, tolerability, and potential advantages of implementing a dyadic financial incentive treatment for smoking cessation for DSCs in the U.S. over the course of 2 months. Public Health SignificanceThis pilot study demonstrates the feasibility, tolerability, and potential advantages of implementing a dyadic financial incentive treatment for smoking cessation for people who smoke who are coupled with other smokers (dual-smoker couples). The majority of participants (86%) who were abstinent at 2-month follow-up were in a relationship with another smoker who was abstinent at follow-up, suggesting advantages of a dyadic financial incentive treatment to promote joint quit attempts among dual-smoker couples.

Psychological Therapies Used for the Reduction of Habitual Cigarette Smoking Cigarette Consumption: A Systematic Review

“…It is important to consider that smoking represents a repetitive action that can become almost automatic, which complicates the smoking cessation process and the need to address it in a comprehensive manner [ 47 ]. In addition to the act of smoking itself, various environmental factors, such as the taste and smell of cigarettes, the sensation of holding a cigarette, and the longevity of these habits, often link smoking to positive experiences in the mind of the smoker [ 45 ].…”

“…This interaction leads to a dependence characterized by the neurons’ desire to re-experience this state of arousal [ 53 ]. As a result, this systematic review evidences a high dropout rate among participants in these studies, often due to difficulties associated with withdrawal and other symptoms related to the effects of nicotine [ 47 ].…”

“…Regarding the use of financial incentives, its efficacy is presented in decreasing the severity of withdrawal symptoms [ 37 ] in time no longer than one-year post-intervention [ 47 ]. Video-based interventions such as those conducted by Bloom et al [ 50 ] QuitBet platform, and Scholten et al [ 49 ] with the go/no-go training game for smoking cessation in young adults.…”