Testing Social Cognitive Theory as a theoretical framework to predict smoking relapse among daily smoking adolescents

Predictors of adolescent smoking relapse are largely unknown, since studies either focus on relapse among adults, or address (long-term) smoking cessation but not relapse. In the present study, Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) was used as a theoretical framework to examine the first and second lapses, as well as mild and heavy relapse into smoking among 135 daily smoking adolescents who embarked on a serious quit attempt. Baseline predictors were pros of smoking, pros of quitting, self-efficacy, and intensity of smoking. Using an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) study design, participants were monitored three times a day during 4 weeks. A follow-up was administered 2 months after the monitoring period. Perceiving many pros of smoking, reporting a low self-efficacy to quit, and high levels of baseline smoking significantly predicted relapse within 3 weeks after quitting. The effects of pros of smoking and self-efficacy on relapse, however, appeared to be accounted for by differences in intensity of smoking. Besides that pros of quitting showed a marginal effect on abstinence at the 2-month follow-up, no long-term effects were detected.