Contingency Management for Smoking Abstinence With Adolescent Smokers
Condition: Cigarette Smoking
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The primary objective of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of this type of
      smoking cessation program by comparing a treatment group with a control group.

      A secondary objective of this research is to explore relations between impulsive behavior and
      smoking-cessation success among treatment-seeking teens participating in a quit-smoking
      program.

      Hypothesis 1. A greater proportion of the participants in the treatment condition will be
      verified as abstinent from smoking during the course of treatment than participants of the
      control condition.

      Hypothesis 2. It is hypothesized that teens who do not successfully stop smoking (or who drop
      out of the treatment program) will be more impulsive (from measures taken just prior to
      treatment) than those who do successfully stop or significantly reduce rate of smoking.
    

Detailed description: 
      In response to the need for treatments appropriate for adolescent smokers, this research
      (utilizing a two-group randomized-control design, n = 63 per group) will evaluate the
      effectiveness and efficacy of a new and innovative Internet-based contingency-management (CM)
      program for smoking abstinence with adolescent smokers. This program lasts for 42 days and
      involves a 21 day abstinence phase. For the treatment condition, participants are reinforced
      for breath samples that verify abstinence from smoking three times per day; however, for the
      control condition, participants are reinforced for timely breath samples regardless of
      abstinence status.

      Because this CM program is Internet based it can be completed from home, which stands to be
      more viable as a treatment option for adolescent smokers than other treatments requiring
      frequent trips to a clinical facility. From preliminary work with adult and adolescent
      smokers, it is expected this treatment program will be highly effective in creating favorable
      changes in adolescent smoking behavior. This research will also involve eight monthly
      post-treatment follow-up sessions to determine long-term consistencies or changes in smoking
      behavior.

      A secondary goal of this research is to explore pre-treatment assessments of different
      dimensions of impulsive behavior as predictors of treatment outcome. These behavioral
      assessments will provide highly detailed information about the specific behavioral styles of
      adolescent smokers who are unable to effectively change their smoking behavior during
      treatment. This information should provide new points of emphasis for treatment-program
      modifications to improve these programs to be more effective for adolescents most challenged
      in their efforts to quit or reduce smoking.
    

Intervention name(s): CO-Contingent; Control condition
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): In this 42 day condition, participants will receive monetary reinforcements contingent on submitting breath samples at CO levels indicating reductions or abstinence from smoking (4ppm).; In this condition, participants will receive monetary reinforcement for timely breath samples with no contingency for a specific breath CO level
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Participant)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: adolescent smoking; Contingency management; Quit smoking