Effectiveness of a Behavioral Treatment for Smoking Cessation

Abstract

Background: Nowadays, tobacco use is the first preventable cause of premature death in developed countries. In Spain, tobacco use kills about 50,000 people each year. It is associated with heart, arterial and respiratory disease and different cancer types. Despite this, 30% of the Spanish population are smokers. Currently there are different types of treatment available for smoking, from nicotine replacement drug, and the non-nicotine to psychological. The Smoking Cessation Program of Becoña has shown high effectiveness rates. Objectives: The aim of this study was to test the effectiveness of a smoking cessation treatment based on the Becoña's program techniques in smokers from Elche. Method: A total of 11 subjects, 54.5% females and 45.5% males participated in this study. STAI and BDI-II, in addition to selfreports of smoking behaviour were used. Results: After nine sessions there has been an abstinence rate of 63.6%. No significant differences were found between pre and post measure for anxiety and depression variables. Conclusions: It seems that studied treatment has similar effectiveness rates then other programs that used the same behavioural techniques. It has also provided enough coping strategies to not appreciate increases in anxiety-depressive symptoms after quitting smoking