Negative affect smoking and smoking relapse.

This study examined linkages between negative affect smoking and relapse. A sample of 669 smokers treated in smoking cessation clinics completed the Horn Motives for Smoking Scale at baseline and were followed at 3 and 12 months posttreatment. Negative affect (NA) smoking scores were unrelated to initial cessation or to maintenance at 3 months. Negative affect accounted for 8% of the variance in 12-month outcomes. The findings support the conceptual distinction between cessation and maintenance and suggest the need to distinguish stages within maintenance. The study also examined whether NA was associated with experiencing relapse crises in negative affect situations. Reports of relapse crises (situations leading to smoking or to the verge of smoking) were obtained from 572 subjects at the 3-month follow-up. Negative affect smokers were more likely to report that the crises were precipitated by negative affect. Although weak, this link between baseline smoking patterns and relapse situations suggests the possibility of individually tailored treatments.