Evaluation of the amount of therapist contact in a smoking cessation program.

This research tested a multicomponent self-help manual that contained nicotine fading and some behavioral techniques. It also evaluated the incremental effects of using higher amounts of therapist contact on quitting rates. 114 smokers were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups: (1) A 10-session multicomponent program (n = 25); (2) a 5-session multicomponent program (n = 31); (3) a 5-session multicomponent plus a self-help manual program (n = 25); and (4) a self-help-manual-only program (n = 33). A control group (n = 48) did not receive any treatment. The distinctive characteristic of the treatments was the different amount of therapist contact. Common components of the programs were a refundable deposit, self-monitoring, information on smoking, stimulus control, CO feedback, nicotine fading, and strategies to avoid withdrawal symptoms. End-of-treatment quit rates ranged from 36% (self-help manual) to 68% (10-session multicomponent program). At 12-month follow-up there were significant differences between groups, and the most effective group was the 5-session plus manual group, with an abstinence rate of 48%.