A Novel Smoking-Specific Self-Control Task: An Initial Study of Feasibility, Acceptability, and Changes in Self-Control and Cigarette Smoking Behaviors Among Adults Using Cigarettes

Objective: Self-control is a key factor in quitting cigarettes and practicing general self-control tasks may strengthen self-control. This study examined the feasibility and acceptability of a novel smoking-related self-control task. Method: Seventy-five adults with current cigarette smoking (Mage = 44.8, 74.7% male, 63.5% Black, 74.3% non-Latinx) were randomly assigned to practice a smoking-specific self-control task (Delay Smoking Task, n = 39) or a general self-control task (Posture Task, n = 36) for 1 week. Assessments included cigarettes per day (CPD), motivation to quit smoking, self-control, and task acceptability. Results: Most participants completed both appointments with no difference between task groups (p = .69). The Delay Smoking Task group rated the task as more difficult (p = .04) and more helpful for quitting smoking (p = .005) than did the Posture Task group. Self-control task groups did not differ in task effort (p = .66), task success (p = .14), or self-control used to practice the task (p = .13). Both task groups reported increased quit desire, expected quit success, quit confidence, and quit motivation (p < .05; partial η2s = 0.108-0.333). The time by task group interaction approached significance for expected quit success (p = .06; partial η2 = .053), with the Delay Smoking Task group showing greater increases than the Posture Task group. Over the week, smoking decreased an average of 1.0 CPD with no difference between groups (p = .72; partial η2 = 0.165). Conclusions: Practicing self-control was associated with increases in motivation to quit, confidence in quitting, and expected success at quitting smoking with similar changes for those practicing a smoking-specific versus a general self-control task. Self-control tasks may be useful for increasing motivation to quit cigarettes. Public Health Significance Statement This study found that a novel smoking-related self-control task was feasible to administer and acceptable to adults currently using cigarettes. This study found that practicing self-control was associated with increases in motivation to quit, confidence in quitting, and expected success at quitting smoking among adults currently using cigarettes with similar gains for those practicing smoking-related self-control and those practicing general self-control. The results of this study suggest that practicing self-control may be useful to increase motivation to quit smoking among adults not ready to quit smoking.