Implicit Theories of Smoking and Intention to Quit: A Serial Mediation Model

Abstract

Introduction There is growing evidence that implicit theories of smoking—whether smokers perceive smoking behavior as malleable or fixed—are significant predictors of quitting intentions. The present study aims to investigate the underlying mechanisms of implicit theories on smoking in predicting smokers’ intentions to quit. Methods This was a cross-sectional study. We conducted multiple linear regression with quitting intentions as the dependent variable, implicit theories of smoking as the independent variable, and sociodemographic variables, quitting attempts in the past year, and whether receiving quitting advice in the past 12 months as the covariates. The mediating role of consideration of future consequences and self-efficacy in the relationship between ITS and quitting intentions was evaluated by mediation analyses. Results A total of 510 smokers were included in the final analyses. Smokers holding a higher incremental theory of smoking reported a higher likelihood of considering future consequences (β = 0.289, p < 0.001) and a weaker possibility of considering immediate results (β = -0.317, p < 0.001), which, in turn, enhanced their quitting self-efficacy and then led to stronger intentions to quit smoking (β = 0.261, p < 0.001). Conclusions The current study enriched our understanding of the underlying mechanisms that connect smokers’ implicit theories of smoking and their likelihood of smoking cessation such that higher incremental theories of smoking predict stronger intention to quit smoking, and the effect was serially mediated by smokers’ likelihood of considering future consequences of their behavior and their perceived self-efficacy for smoking cessation. Implications This study indicated the mediating role of consideration of future consequences and self-efficacy for smoking cessation on the relationship between the implicit theories of smoking and quitting intentions. These two psychological factors and the pathways may be important points for understanding the model of implicit theories for smoking and improving the effectiveness of implicit theories-based intervention on smoking cessation.