Predictors of smoking abstinence following a single-session restructuring intervention with self-hypnosis.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Uncontrolled single-cohort case series without a randomized or concurrent control group.
PubMed 8317582 · doi:10.1176/ajp.150.7.1090
What was done
A consecutive series of 226 smokers referred to a smoking cessation program received a single-session habit-restructuring intervention involving self-hypnosis. Participants were prospectively followed for 2 years to measure complete smoking abstinence. The authors assessed smoking history, medical history, social support, and hypnotizability as predictors of outcomes.
What was found
Complete smoking abstinence was achieved by 52% of the participants at 1 week post-intervention, and 23% maintained continuous abstinence at 2 years. Significant predictors of initial abstinence (at 1 week) were higher hypnotizability and a prior history of quitting smoking for at least one month. Significant predictors of 2-year abstinence maintenance were higher hypnotizability and living with a significant other. Exact effect sizes and confidence intervals were not reported in the abstract.
Why it matters
This study indicates that brief self-hypnosis interventions can produce modest multi-year cessation rates and identifies baseline hypnotizability and cohabitation support as potential markers for treatment response.
Limits
The study lacked a randomized or concurrent control group, precluding causal attribution of abstinence to the specific hypnosis technique over non-specific factors. The abstract does not specify whether abstinence was biochemically verified or based solely on self-report, and exact statistical estimates (such as odds ratios or p-values) were omitted.
Cited by
- partial Research by David Spiegel demonstrates that approximately 25% of individuals who undergo clinical hypnosis for smoking cessation remain abstinent after a single session for life.