Does presenting evidence that quitting smoking is associated with mental health benefits motivate people to quit?
About the study
This study is run by researchers at the Addiction and Mental Health Group, which is part of the University of Bath. We are inviting people to view information related to the positive benefits of quitting smoking and how this affects their motivation to quit. There is no obligation to quit smoking.
Smoking is the world’s leading cause of preventable illness and death. In the UK, smoking rates have decreased from 46% during the 1970's to about 19% in recent years. However, smoking rates in people with mental illness have remained around 37%.
People with depression or anxiety are twice as likely to smoke than those without these difficulties. In the UK, approximately 30% to 40% of all people with depression or anxiety are smokers. However, research indicates that quitting smoking can significantly improve not only your physical health but your mental health too. As less people seem to know about the mental health benefits of quitting smoking, this research aims to find out if learning about the way in which mood and anxiety can improve after quitting smoking can encourage people to stop. We want to see if people who struggle with giving up, as well as with anxiety or depression, are motivated by this information.
What will it involve?
If you are eligible and happy to take part you will be taken through an online survey which takes approximately 15 minutes. There will be some information asked about how much you smoke and where you are from. You’ll then be asked to complete some questionnaires which measure levels of depression and anxiety and how often you experience these difficulties. There will also be a questionnaire about how regularly you experience a sense of reward from your day to day activities. Finally, there is a question about your current motivation to quit smoking.
After the questions are completed, you’ll be shown some images that look like the health warnings you see on cigarette and tobacco packaging. However, you’ll notice some key differences as this study is examining the impact of positive messaging in regards to the health benefits of giving up smoking. Once you have looked at these images you’ll be asked again about your motivation to quit.
At the end of the study there is an option to enter yourself into a £50 prize draw using your email address. We will randomly select a winner at the end of the data collection process.
Adham Hanafi
Trainee Clinical Psychologist
Trainee Clinical Psychologist at Bath University. Currently researching the impact of quitting smoking on common mental health difficulties such as anxiety and depression. This study is part of the Addiction and Mental Health Research Group at the university.
Research conducted by: University of Bath
This study is no longer accepting applications
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