Approach Bias Retraining to Augment Smoking Cessation
United States96 participantsStarted 2017-11-29
Plain-language summary
Tobacco use is the most preventable cause of disease, disability, and death in the United States. Standard smoking cessation care (cognitive behavioral therapy and nicotine replacement therapy), is effective in approximately 20% of the cases, clearly indicating there is substantial room for improvement.
Current work suggests that despite standard interventions, continued substance abuse may result from addictive behaviors governed partly through automatic processes that exert their influence outside conscious control. This is important from a treatment perspective, as we should develop treatments to target implicit processes.
Among a number of promising targets for intervention, cognitive biases are important to address as they have been implicated as maintenance factors for addiction. Approach bias, defined as the automatically activated action tendency to approach smoking-related stimuli, is a relatively novel cognitive bias and has been related to failed smoking cessation. A recently developed task for approach bias assessment is the Approach Bias Retraining (ABR), a computerized joystick task increasingly used to measure automatic approach tendencies in addiction research.
This clinical trial will evaluate a smoking cessation intervention that integrates standard care with approach bias retraining. Results will provide novel information regarding the potential benefits of engaging implicit cognitive biases as a means to augment traditional smoking cessation therapy. This study has the potential to help individuals attempting to quit smoking and, ultimately, provide unique information about the importance of targeting implicit processes to complement standard care.
Who can participate
Age range
18 Years – 65 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion Criteria:
* Male and female patients ages 18-65 capable of providing informed consent
* Willing and able to provide informed consent, attend all study visits, and comply with the protocol
* Daily smoker for at least 1 year
* Currently smoke an average of at least 5 cigarettes per day
* Report a motivation to quit smoking of at least 5 on a 10-point scale
Exclusion Criteria:
* A lifetime history of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, psychosis, or delusional disorders; an eating disorder in the past 6 months; organic brain syndrome, mental retardation or other cognitive dysfunction that could interfere with capacity to engage in therapy; a history of substance or alcohol abuse or dependence (other than nicotine) in the last 6 months or otherwise unable to commit to refraining from alcohol use during the acute period of study participation.
* Visual or hand-motoric impairments
* Current use of nicotine replacement therapy
* Current use of any other pharmacotherapy or psychotherapy for smoking cessation not provided by the researchers during the quit attempt
* Current use of tobacco products other than cigarettes
* Insufficient command of the English language as the treatment manual is written only in English and study staff are not fluent in other languages
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1This trial tested a technique called 'approach bias retraining' for quitting smoking — can you explain what that actually involves and whether it's something that might fit alongside other quit methods I'm already considering?
2Since this trial has already completed and was measuring smoking status at 3 months, do you know if the results have been published, and what they suggest about how well this approach worked compared to standard cessation treatments like nicotine replacement or medication?
3This study is listed as 'Phase NA,' which often means it's a behavioral or psychological intervention rather than a drug trial — does that change the types of risks I should be thinking about, and are there any downsides to this kind of retraining approach?
4If this trial is finished and I can't enroll, are there other ongoing studies or programs using similar brain-retraining or cognitive approaches to help with nicotine dependence that my care team could point me toward?
5Given that smoking status was only tracked out to 3 months, would my doctor expect the effects of this kind of retraining to hold up long-term, and how does that compare to what we know about the durability of medications like varenicline or bupropion?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.