CLINICAL RESEARCH POSTER PRESENTATION ABSTRACTS
Please note: All posters will be displayed in
Salons 10-12.
THURSDAY, 5:30-6:15 PM
Tindle HA, Rigotti NA, Barbeau EM, Davis RB, Park E,
Eisenberg DM, Phillips RA.
Guided imagery for smoking cessation: a pilot randomized
trial.
University of Pittsburgh tindleha@upmc.edu
BACKGROUND: Smokers often ask about alternative
therapies for smoking cessation, but little is known about the efficacy
of these methods.
METHODS: We conducted a pilot randomized controlled
trial of guided imagery for adults seeking to quit smoking. 34 smokers
not using pharmacotherapy were assigned to guided imagery (6 weekly
instructional group sessions + a CD-based home program) or a waiting
list control group (offered guided imagery at 12 weeks). Guided imagery
was expected to reduce stress and assist in cessation. At enrollment,
all participants received physician advice to quit and set a quit date.
Outcome (cotinine-validated 7-day point prevalence abstinence) was assessed
at 6 weeks, (end of treatment), 12 weeks, and 1 year. Subjects lost
to follow-up were counted as smokers, and analyses were intention to
treat.
RESULTS: At end of treatment, verified 7-day
abstinence rates in intervention (INT) vs. control (CTL) groups were
36% (6/17) vs. 18% (3/17) (p=.43). At 12-weeks and 1 year, verified
7-day abstinence rates in INT vs. CTL groups were 30% (5/17) vs. 12%
(2/17) (p = .40) and 24% (4/17) vs. 6% (1/17) (p = .34), respectively.
At 6 weeks, INT subjects had greater readiness to quit (p <.05) and
lower state anxiety (Spielberger Index, 32 vs. 38, p < .05), effects
that did not persist after treatment. At 12 weeks INT subjects had lower
trait anxiety (Spielberger Index, 33 vs. 44, p=.004) and a trend toward
higher self efficacy (Temptation Score 22 vs. 30, p= .06).
CONCLUSION: A guided imagery program for smoking
cessation was feasible and may improve factors integral to the cessation
process. Abstinence rates were not statistically different between groups,
likely due to small sample size in this pilot trial, but the encouraging
results provide a rationale for conducting a larger long-term study
to test the efficacy of guided imagery, which may offer an alternative
non-pharmacologic treatment for smoking cessation.
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