Summary
Introduction:
This text provides an analysis of a research study examining the relationship between positive outcome expectancies and e-cigarette use among adult e-cigarette users who have attempted to quit and those who have not. The study aims to understand how positive expectancies may differ based on quit attempt status and its impact on perceived risks, benefits, and barriers to quitting e-cigarettes.
Key Points:
* The study sample consisted of 544 e-cigarette users, primarily White/Caucasian, with an average age of 35.4 years and a low level of e-cigarette dependence.
* Participants completed a series of self-report measures, including the Penn State Electronic Cigarette Dependence Index, the Electronic Cigarette Smoking history questionnaire, the Smoking Consequences for Electronic Cigarettes, the Risks and Benefits of E-Cigarettes questionnaire, and the E-Cigarette Barriers of Cessation Scale.
* The study found that positive outcome expectancies of e-cigarette use were significantly related to increased perceived risks, benefits, and barriers to quitting e-cigarettes, with stronger associations for those who reported past quit attempts compared to those who never attempted to quit.
* Covariates, including sex, income, education, concurrent combustible cigarette use, and e-cigarette dependence, were controlled for in the analysis.
* The study also found that e-cigarette users with a quit attempt history reported greater e-cigarette dependence compared to users with no quit history.
* Positive outcome expectancies of e-cigarette use were significantly related to increased perceived risks, benefits, and barriers to quitting e-cigarettes, with stronger associations for those who reported past quit attempts compared to those who never attempted to quit.
* The study suggests that positive expectancies may be a particularly targetable cognitive factor for those who have attempted to quit e-cigarette use in the past.
Main Message:
The study highlights the influential role that positive expectancies for e-cigarette use and e-cigarette quit attempt status play in e-cigarette processes. Positive expectancies may be a particularly targetable cognitive factor for those who have attempted to quit e-cigarette use in the past. The study extends prior research by identifying how positive expectancies may influence levels of perceived risks and benefits of e-cigarette use as well as perceived barriers of quitting e-cigarettes among both previous e-cigarette quit attempters and non-attempters. Therefore, it is important to consider positive expectancies when developing cessation tactics for e-cigarette users.
Citation
Peraza N, Mayorga Na, Garey L, Nizio P, Smit T, Zvolensky MJ. Exploring positive expectancies and quit status among adult electronic cigarette users. Cognitive behaviour therapy. 2020;49(6):486-500. doi:10.1080/16506073.2020.1771412
