The association between anxiety sensitivity and motivation to quit smoking among women and men in residential substance use treatment.

BACKGROUND

Smoking-attributed mortality is the leading cause of death among individuals in residential substance use treatment. As such, identifying factors that influence smoking cessation is highly relevant and important for this group. Motivation to quit (MTQ) smoking is one such factor that is related to smoking cessation.

OBJECTIVES

In the present study we examine the relationship between Anxiety Sensitivity (AS) and MTQ among individuals enrolled in a residential substance use treatment center in Washington, DC. In light of gender differences in smoking cessation as well as factors that contribute to cessation, we examined this relationship by gender in men and women using multiple group path analysis.

METHODS

Participants (n = 472) completed a measure of MTQ, the structured clinical interview for DSM-IV (SCID-IV-TR), a measure of AS, and self-reported their number of cigarettes smoked per day prior to entering a restricted environment.

RESULTS

RESULTS indicated that AS was significantly related to MTQ in women (standardized path estimate = 0.21, p = .01), but was not significantly related to MTQ in men. Conclusions/Importance: Findings suggest the importance of considering AS as a factor in MTQ for women and subsequent smoking cessation among individuals in residential substance use treatment. RESULTS of this study contribute to the extant literature on predictors of MTQ and highlight the need for tailored cessation interventions with AS as one potential cessation treatment target.