The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of motivational interviewing as an intervention to help adolescents quit smoking cigarettes. The study sample included students from alternative high schools in central and north Georgia. Ninety-eight smokers were randomly assigned to control and intervention conditions. The intervention consisted of three telephone calls employing motivational interviewing strategies to provide dissonance about smoking and offer support for quitting. The telephone motivational interviews included discussions of the adolescent's stage of readiness to quit smoking, decisional balance, and strategies to reduce or stop smoking tailored to the subject's stage of readiness. All subjects received a baseline, 3-month follow-up and 6-month follow-up telephone survey. The surveys collected data on students' level of smoking history, addiction, depression, processes of change, decisional balance, and temptations to smoke. At baseline, respondents ranged in age from 14 to 19 and were 53% male and 47% female. As defined by the Transtheoretical Model of Change, 46% were in precontemplation, 40% in contemplation, 2% in preparation, 4% in action, and 2% in maintenance of cessation. At post-intervention, 11 of 29 (38%) adolescent smokers who received at least two interviews had progressed in their stage of readiness to quit. Differences in smoking rates and changes in the adolescents' stage of readiness to quit smoking as result of the intervention will be presented. These results provide support for use of motivational interviewing as an intervention for smoking cessation among adolescents.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to: 1.Describe the Transtheoretical Model of Change. 2.Discuss the effectiveness of motivational interviewing strategies as an intervention for adolescent smoking cessation
Keywords: Smoking Cessation, Adolescents
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.