Digital Commons Network^™

Mood Management Intervention For College Smokers With Elevated Depressive Symptoms: A Pilot Study, Holly E. Schleicher, Kari J. Harris, Duncan G. Campbell, Solomon W. Harrar

Public and Community Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Objective

This pilot study examined smoking reduction and cessation among college smokers with elevated depressive symptomatology participating in a group-based behavioral counseling, mood management, and motivational enhancement combined intervention (CBT).

Participants & Methods

Fifty-eight smokers (smoked ≥ 6 days in the past 30) were randomized to six sessions of CBT (n=29) or a nutrition-focused attention-matched control group (CG, n=29).

Results

Relative to CG participants, significantly more CBT participants reduced smoking intensity by 50% (χ2(1, N=58)=4.86, p=.028) at end of treatment. Although CBT participants maintained smoking reductions at 3- and 6-month follow-up, group differences were no longer significant. No group differences …

Analysis Of Smoking Patterns And Contexts Among College Student Smokers, Nikole J. Cronk, Kari J. Harris, Solomon W. Harrar, Kathrene Conway, Delwyn Catley, Glenn E. Good

Public and Community Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Many who smoke in college do so infrequently and smoking conditions are not well-understood. We examined smoking patterns among college fraternity and sorority members (N=207) from a Midwestern university in three successive fall semesters in 2006–2008. Participants completed calendar-assisted retrospective assessments of 30-day smoking at up to 5 assessment points over 96 days. Overall smoking rates declined over the course of each semester and higher smoking on weekends was observed, with more variability among daily smokers. The most frequent categories of events to cue recall of smoking were socializing, work, and school. Findings can be used to target prevention efforts.

Adaptation Of A Lay Health Advisor Model As A Recruitment And Retention Strategy In A Clinical Trial Of College Student Smokers, Shiloh Jordan Varvel, Nikole J. Cronk, Kari Jo Harris, Anne B. Scott

Public and Community Health Sciences Faculty Publications

This study describes and provides results from a process evaluation of a lay health advisor (LHA) model to enhance participation in a clinical trial of the effectiveness of motivational interviewing on smoking cessation in college fraternity and sorority members. The implementation of the model had two phases: (a) the selection and training of LHAs as liaisons between research staff and participants and (b) LHAs’ roles in recruitment and retention. Perceptions of the LHA model were explored using survey questionnaires. Trial participants (N = 118) and LHAs (N = 8) were generally satisfied with the model and identified LHAs as helpful …

Timeline Follow-Back Versus Global Self-Reports Of Tobacco Smoking: A Comparison Of Findings With Non-Daily Smokers, Kari J. Harris, Amanda L. Golbeck, Nikole J. Cronk, Delwyn Catley, Kathrene Conway, Karen B. Williams

Public and Community Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Methods assessing non-daily smoking are of concern because biochemical measures can not verify self-reports beyond 7 days. This study compares two self-reported smoking measures for non-daily smokers. A total of 389 college students, (48% female, 96% white, mean age of 19) smoking between 1 and 29 days out of the past 30, completed computer assessments in three cohorts with the order of administration of the measures counterbalanced. Values from the two measures were highly correlated. Comparisons of Timeline Follow-Back (TLFB) with the global questions for the total sample of non-daily smokers yielded statistically significant differences (p<.001), albeit small, between measures with the TLFB resulting on average in 2.38 more total cigarettes smoked out of the past 30 days, 0.46 less smoking days, and 0.21 more cigarettes smoked per day. Analyses by level of smoking showed that the discordance between the measures differed by frequency of smoking. Global questions of days smoked resulted in frequent reporting in multiples of five days, suggesting digit bias. Overall the two measures of smoking were highly correlated and equally effective for identifying any smoking in a 30-day period among non-daily smokers.