Individual differences in emotion dysregulation and trajectory of withdrawal symptoms during a quit attempt among treatment-seeking smokers

Abstract

Objective: Cigarette smoking remains the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, and withdrawal symptoms are central to the maintenance of tobacco use. Previous research suggests that individual differences in the propensity to experience negative affect may be related to more severe withdrawal symptoms. However, little research has examined how individual differences in the ability to regulate affect (emotion dysregulation) may impact withdrawal symptoms over time.

Method: Therefore, the current study examined the effects of emotion dysregulation on change in tobacco withdrawal symptoms over 12 weeks following a cigarette quit attempt among 188 (Mage = 38.52, SD = 14.00, 46.8% male) treatment seeking smokers.

Results: Results from the study indicated greater emotion dysregulation was associated with greater quit day withdrawal symptoms as well as with as slower decline in withdrawal symptoms over the 12-week period (B = -0.001, SE = 0.001, p = .046).

Conclusion: The current study offers novel evidence into the role of emotion dysregulation in relation to withdrawal symptoms during a quit attempt. Assessing and reducing heightened emotion dysregulation prior to a quit attempt may be a potentially important therapeutic tactic for helping smokers achieve greater success in managing tobacco withdrawal.

Public health significance statement: This study emphasizes the ways in which emotional dysregulation may affect tobacco withdrawal symptoms. This study can be utilized to further target smoking cessation programs for those attempting to quit smoking.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01753141.

Keywords: Emotion dysregulation; Negative affect; Smoking; Smoking cessation; Tobacco withdrawal.

Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Figures

Figure 1.. Growth in Withdrawal Following Quit Attempt.

Figure 1. DERS total baseline score by time2 interaction from quit week (week 0) to 12 weeks post quit. Lines represent those at mean (short dash) levels of DERS, +1 SD (long dash) levels of DERS, and −1 SD (solid) levels of DERS. Random intercept analyses indicate that those with highest levels of baseline DERS exhibit the highest quit week withdrawal symptoms, followed by the largest increase and decrease in withdrawal symptoms, compared to those with lower baseline DERS scores.