Smoking habits among pregnant women in Norway--suggestions for intervention

Multiple surveys have shown that approximately 35 percent of women in Norway are daily cigarette consumers during their pregnancies. Smoking is the single most important risk factor in pregnancy leading to excessive rates of low birth weight, prenatal neonatal and infant mortality, sudden infant death syndrome and learning problems in school. Norway provides a decent prenatal care program free of charge to all pregnant women. But efforts to reduce smoking have been inadequate. A multilevel strategy including a media campaign, the policy changes recommended in the Action Plan "Smokefree Norway by the year 2000" and a standardized intervention program using generally available resources is suggested as a possible way to reduce the problem throughout the country.     

Smoking cessation quitlines: An underrecognized intervention success story.

Quitlines providing telephone counseling for smoking cessation derive from behavioral research and theory, have been shown to be effective, and have been adopted and then institutionalized at both the state and national levels. Although psychologists have made seminal contributions to quitline development and evaluation, this accomplishment has gone largely unnoticed by the practice and research communities in clinical, counseling, and health psychology. This article summarizes the development, content, structure, empirical status, and current reach of cessation quitlines. We note the rich research opportunities afforded by quitlines, describe some recent approaches to improving their effectiveness, and suggest that an understanding of how quitlines work could also improve their effectiveness. The implications for practitioners and the potential application of telephone counseling to other disorders are also considered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Autism: A review of biological bases, assessment, and intervention.

The number of children classified with autism in US schools has risen sharply over the past decade. School psychologists are being called upon with increasing frequency to assist in the identification, assessment, and treatment of these children. The diagnostic complexities and heterogeneity of the disorder make dealing effectively with this condition a considerable challenge for school personnel. Additionally, the biological basis of the disorder necessitates the involvement of medical personnel in both assessment and intervention. This article reviews recent findings regarding the genetics of autism, associated neurological features, best practice assessment, and empirically supported interventions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Smoking research: Basic research, intervention, prevention, and new trends.

Discusses the diversity and richness of smoking research by examining smoking from four perspectives: basic laboratory research, intervention, prevention and deterrence, and new directions in smoking research. It is acknowledged that smoking is a behavior that is influenced by a variety of factors that cut across methodologies, disciplines, and content areas within health psychology. Methodologies that were derived from such varied sources as psychopharmacology, behavioral pharmacology, behavior therapy, clinical psychology, public health promotion, and social and developmental psychology have been used to study smoking. Populations ranged from animal models, to the individual smoker trying to quit, to communities involved in health promotion. Future research should seek to provide new and improved examples of interdisciplinary approaches from basis and applied sciences. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Children's temperament: intervention for parents

Using the goodness-of-fit theoretical framework, an intervention study designed to help parents assess and understand the implications of their child's temperament is described. Examples of temperament strategies designed to be consistent with the child's needs are included.     

Immediate Antecedents of Cigarette Smoking: An Analysis of Unrestricted Smoking Patterns.

Theory suggests that cigarette smoking is under stimulus control and that affect is a key trigger for smoking. A previous study (S. Shiftman et al., 2002) showed little relationship between affect and smoking, but this relationship could have been suppressed by the impact of smoking restrictions. The study evaluated these associations in a 1988 sample that was subject to few smoking restrictions. Smokers (N = 28) not seeking treatment used palmtop computers to record context and affect prior to smoking (n = 2,217 observations) and also at random times when not smoking (n = 2,380). Comparisons showed little relationship between smoking and affect. Smoking was associated with particular activities and locations. Urge to smoke was the strongest predictor of smoking. The results replicated the findings of S. Shiffman et al. (2002). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Smoking: The artificial passion.

Review of book, David Krogh (Au.) Smoking: The Artificial Passion. New York: Freeman, 1991, 176 pp. Reviewed by Thomas H. Brandon. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Smoking cessation programme for self-motivated patients

Mr Mitchell felt that each weekly session had provided him with the impetus to continue for another week. He showed great determination to succeed and followed the recommended method, adapted to suit his own lifestyle. I felt professional satisfaction knowing that I had played a significant part in his transition from smoker to non-smoker. The method I used with Mr Mitchell was effective. However, it is only one of many methods available to smokers and health professionals. At present 22 patients have booked in for stop-smoking sessions. Six have completed the six sessions and of those, three remain non-smokers six months later. All three were self-referred and therefore highly motivated. Even one success is one more towards achieving the Health of the Nation target and is well worth the time and effort involved.     

Smoking cessation and severity of disease: The Coronary Artery Smoking Intervention Study.

Tested the effectiveness of an individually delivered behavioral multicomponent smoking intervention (SI) against offering advice only (AO) to 267 patients (aged 30–75 yrs) after coronary arteriography. After 6 mo, 51% of AO Ss and 62% of SI Ss reported abstinence. Validated rates were 34% and 45% for AO and SI Ss, respectively. At 6 mo, the SI had the most effect for Ss with more severe coronary artery disease (CAD) who had been admitted with a myocardial infarction even after controlling for baseline characteristics such as stage of readiness for change, sex, and self-efficacy. At 12 mo follow-up, only severity of disease mediated SI effects. Similar results were seen for cotinine-validated cessation. Data confirm the effectiveness of individually administered SI for more seriously ill patients with CAD. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Smoking cessation: Social comparison level predicts success for adult smokers.

The affiliation preferences of 151 adult heavy smokers who joined smoking cessation groups were assessed at the 1st group session and were then used to predict their smoking status 6 and 12 months later. Those who preferred to be in groups with other smokers who were having relatively little trouble quitting were more likely to be successful than were those who preferred others who were having more difficulty quitting. This prospective effect was mediated by psychological distancing from the image of the typical smoker: Preference for others who were doing well was associated with a decrease in perceived similarity to the typical smoker, which, in turn, was associated with successful cessation. Implications of these findings for cessation groups and social comparison theory are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Smoking: high hazards in high school

BACKGROUND: Young people in school are at an impressionable age, peer pressures are intense, and the probability that they will pick up a high-risk behavior, such as smoking, is high. The key to reduction of smoking among adults is to target our prevention efforts at young adults and teens. OBJECTIVE: To study the prevalence and trend of smoking among young adults and teens and to formulate guidelines on smoking reduction to guide those who counsel young people. STUDY DESIGN: The study design is cross sectional. METHODS: This study is based on the data from the Oklahoma Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and the National Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance System - the two systems that monitor the prevalence of behaviors that most influence health. RESULTS: The prevalence of smoking among young adults (age 18-24) in Oklahoma is high at more than 21%. The disturbing feature is that it is higher among young females than among young males. The prevalence of smoking among young adults is the highest among high school dropouts and is more than 38%. It is lower among high school graduates (about 28%) and lowest among college graduates (about 18%). The percentage of smoking among students who classify themselves as current smokers rises from 23% to 30% as the students progress from grade 9 to 12 and the percentage of frequent smokers increases from 8% to 16%. CONCLUSIONS: Guidelines suggested for counselors are: 1. Along with smoking, look for comorbid behaviors such as alcohol use, drug abuse, and high-risk sexual behavior. 2. Ask whether the student has easy access to free cigarette samples. 3. Check whether the teen is trying to lose weight; suggest appropriate methods for losing weight if smoking is being used for losing weight. 4. Target health education efforts early in a student's school career starting in elementary school, but concentrate especially at the 8th or 9th grade level to have maximum preventive impact.     

Smoking cessation treatment: Any progress?

Argues that, although smoking rates are declining and quit rates are increasing, research on behavioral approaches to smoking cessation is stagnant. Despite an increase in publications on smoking cessation, few innovative approaches have been introduced in the past decade. Furthermore, average treatment outcomes have not improved over this period. Treatment innovations may come from research that aims at fundamental new insights regarding smoking behavior and smoking behavior change rather than from incremental improvements of current approaches. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)