Date of Submission

2004

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Department

Psychology

Department Chair

Robert A. DiTomasso, Ph.D., ABPP

First Advisor

Stephanie Felgoise, Ph.D., ABPP, Chairperson

Second Advisor

Frederick Rotgers, Psy.D., ABPP

Third Advisor

M. Dolores Cimini, Ph.D.

Abstract

The current study examined the effectiveness of a modified, empirically-based smoking cessation intervention, originally designed for teenagers in public school settings, but applied to actively smoking adolescents in residential treatment. The cognitive-behavioral intervention, developed by the American Lung Association (ALA, 2001) and researchers at West Virginia University, called Not-On-Tobacco (N-O-T), provides a total-health approach to helping teenagers quit smoking or to reducing the number of cigarettes smoked. The 10-session intervention was delivered over five consecutive weeks to eight adolescent males ranging in age 13 to 16 and in grades 8 to 10, living in a residential treatment community (RTC) located within the Northeast region of New York State. At the time of the study, the average length of stay at the RTC was 7 months. The intervention curriculum was followed as written, with some changes made to suit the needs of the RTC. The intervention's curriculum pre- and post-assessment questionnaires on "Smoking History / Usage / Motivation / Intent to Quit" and "Attitude Toward Tobacco Use" were used to determine effectiveness of the intervention in helping reduce or decrease the number of cigarettes smoked. The study's findings indicated a reduction in the number of cigarettes smoked during a typical week for all participants. A noticeable reduction in the number of cigarettes occurred at session 9, when the focus of the previous session was on assertive skills training. Based on these results, and the fact that the current study was based on a small sample (n=8), a definitive conclusion that the intervention was effective cannot be made without validation of the data with a larger sample group. Discussion includes implications for future studies.

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