# A STUDY OF SELF-HELP SMOKING CESSATION AND MAINTENANCE

> **NIH NIH R01** · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · 1988 · $285,247

## Abstract

The proposed research seeks to develop a powerful self-administered
maintenance program for non-smoking; assess the relative effectiveness of
nicotine gum, placebo gum, or no gum in promoting long-term abstinence;
compare the relative efficacy of ad lib versus continuous nicotine gum use
regimens; assess the effects of a psychological self-help maintenance
program; compare the relative effectiveness of different strategies for
administering the psychological maintenance program; and provide
biochemical validation of subjects' smoking status for two years following
cessation.

Research designed to improve the service delivery of smoking cessation
procedures is important because survey data indicate the most smokers who
desire to quit prefer self-administered, minimal-contact treatment
formats.  However, such self-help procedures need more rigorous assessment
and longer-term follow-up.  Furthermore, it is likely that both
psychological and pharmacological mechanisms contribute to the durability
of the smoking habit.  Pharmacologic aids such as nicotine gum may be
useful in combating the effects of withdrawal.  Psychological procedures
appear needed to help quitters manage psychological factors that may
promote relapse.  The integration of pharmacological and innovative
psychological strategies within a minimal contact format offers a new
challenge for smoking researchers.

The research design is a 2 factor, 3x4 fully crossed experiment.  The
psychological factor has 3 levels: self-selected relapse prevention
modules, randomly-selected modules, and survey only.  The pharmacologic
factor has 4 levels: nicotine gum administered either ad lib or on a
continuous schedule, placebo gum, and no gum.  l200 persons, able to quit
for 48 hours, will be assigned randomly to one of the l2 treatment cells.
The relapse prevention modules will be mailed to subjects on a weekly basis
for 8 weeks.  Subjects will use self-efficacy scales to pinpoint
"high-risk" situations and devise plans for coping with these situations.
Assignments will be mailed back to the program offices each week.  Nicotine
and placebo gum will be given for l2 weeks.  Mail-ins, financial deposits,
and telephone prompts will be used to boost adherence to protocols.  We
will assess reported smoking, perceived self-efficacy, physical dependency,
withdrawal symptoms and side-effects, as well as expired-air carbon
monoxide and saliva thiocyanate.  Measures will be collected at 0, 2, 6,
l2, and 24 months.  Power calculations show that we can detect 8-l0%
differences in reported abstinence and even smaller effects for continuous
variables such as reported cigarettes per day.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3176388
- **Project number:** 5R01CA038303-05
- **Recipient organization:** STANFORD UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** HJD6G4D6TJY5
- **Principal Investigator:** Stephen Paul Fortmann
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1988
- **Award amount:** $285,247
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1984-09-01 → 1990-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3176388

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3176388, A STUDY OF SELF-HELP SMOKING CESSATION AND MAINTENANCE (5R01CA038303-05). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3176388. Licensed CC0.

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