Year: 2022
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Chapter 1 Cacioppo, 1986).Whereas the central route is characterized by thoughtful elaboration of information and in turn enduring attitudinal change, the peripheral route is characterized by quick processing of superficial stimuli and in turn short-lasting attitudinal change.Which route is taken depends on several factors, including the personal relevance of the information that is provided.It is assumed that the personal relevance of tailored communication is perceived as higher by individuals compared to non-tailored communication, as tailored communication eliminates unnecessary information.Therefore, it is assumed that tailored communication is processed through the central route and leads to greater and longer-lasting attitudinal change. Chapter 1behavior.This study addresses the message factor (i.e., message content and quality) of the I-Change model. The COVID-19 pandemicMost of the research reported in this thesis was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic.Information about COVID-19 and smoking, and the measures taken to curb the number of infections, may have influenced smokers' beliefs toward smoking and quitting.To assess this potential influence, a questionnaire study was integrated in the randomized controlled trial presented in Chapters 3 and 4.This study was conducted during the early pre-vaccination phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in spring 2020.Chapter 5 presents the results of this study on the potential influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on smoking behavior and beliefs about quitting smoking. Contextual factors in smoking relapseThe focus of smoking cessation interventions is usually on changing motivational determinants and preparing for the quit attempt.However, making a quit attempt is only a first step.The most common outcome of assisted quit attempts is unfortunately still relapse (Robinson et al., 2019).Therefore, relapse prevention after the day of the quit attempt is critical to achieving long-term abstinence.Previous research suggests that (ex-)smokers usually relapse in the presence of specific contextual factors, such as being at a party, drinking coffee, or seeing other people smoke (Shiffman, 2006).Contextual factors have a situational, momentary character and include activities, the social environment, the consumption of food and drink, and the location.As described earlier, contextual factors have been classically conditioned to be associated with cigarette smoking (Benowitz, 2010).During the daily life as a smoker, this conditioning occurs constantly, so a smoker's environment is full of conditioned contextual factors that can trigger relapse.These contextual factors could be the target of digital just-in-time adaptive interventions (JITAIs) (Naughton, 2016;Shiffman, 2006).The idea of such interventions is to intervene in the process between the conditioned contextual factor and relapse.Ideally, the support provided by the digital behavior change intervention (e.g., coping advice, distraction) helps the smoker -in the moment -to cope with the situation without smoking.After repeated exposure without a conditioned response (i.e., smoking), the response is gradually extinguished and the situation poses less risk of relapse (Lazev et al., 1999).Traditional faceto-face counseling attempts to prepare smokers in advance to cope well in high-risk situations, but the counselor cannot be present in high-risk situations, and the coping techniques learned may be easily forgotten in the heat of the moment (Shiffman, 2006).Just-in-time adaptive interventions, however, can provide tailored support independent of time and place which improves synchronization between the need for support and support delivery (Naughton, 2016).18 Chapter 1However, before developing such interventions, it is important to know which contextual factors are associated with relapse.Therefore, we conducted an ecological momentary assessment study examining contextual factors associated with temptations and lapses among smokers trying to quit.We examined what participants did (activities), who they were with (social environment), and where they were (location), and how these factors related to temptations and lapses.The factors were included with the perspective that they are suitable as targets in future just-in-time adaptive interventions.Chapter 6 presents the results of the ecological momentary assessment study.
Author: Jan Mathis Elling
Institution: Maastricht University
Language: English
Subfield: Physiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
OpenAlex ID: W4309399867