Individual variables related to craving reduction in cue exposure treatment

• We explored the influence of individual variables on craving reductions.
• Younger people and heavier smokers showed greater craving reductions.
• Impulsivity and depressive symptoms were associated with larger craving decreases.
• Certain smokers may benefit most from procedures focused on reducing craving.

IntroductionAlthough extensive research has demonstrated that cigarette craving can be effectively attenuated, very few studies have explored associations between individual variables and craving reduction. This study explored whether individual characteristics predict craving decreases during virtual reality cue exposure treatment (VR-CET).MethodParticipants were 41 treatment-seeking smokers (73% women) with a mean age of 39.4 (SD = 13.2), who had been smoking 15.0 (SD = 7.1) cigarettes per day for 20.0 (SD = 10.7) years. Their mean score on the Fagerström Test of Nicotine Dependence (FTND) was 4.8 (SD = 2.3). Participants completed five cue exposure sessions using virtual reality for smoking cessation over a five-week period. The percentage of reduction in craving was calculated by comparing self-reported craving after the first and last exposure sessions. Sociodemographic characteristics (gender, age, years of education and marital status), tobacco-related [duration of daily smoking, cigarettes per day, FTND and Nicotine Dependence Syndrome Scale (NDSS)] and psychological characteristics [depressive symptoms (Beck's Depression Inventory-Second Edition, BDI-II), impulsiveness (delay discounting) and anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, STAI)] were examined as possible predictors for craving reductions.ResultsMultiple regression revealed that greater decreases in craving were associated with younger age (β = − .30, p = .043), cigarettes smoked per day (β = .30, p = .042), higher values on delay discounting (β = .34, p = .020) and higher BDI-II scores (β = .30, p = .035).ConclusionThese findings suggest that smokers with certain individual characteristics may benefit most from interventions aimed at reducing craving through VR-CET.