Negative affectivity and nicotine withdrawal during smoking cessation

Background: we studied if negative affectivity (sub-threshold depression/anxiety) and nicotine withdrawal, experienced while quitting, might influence the outcome. Methods: longitudinal naturalistic study on smokers. During the first visit, socio-demographic and clinical data (including level of nicotine dependence) were collected. Negative affectivity and nicotine withdrawal were assessed via hetero- and self-administered scales at baseline, week 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 26 after cessation. Findings: 78 smokers were evaluated. Comparing abstainers (15,4%) with non-abstainers (84,6%) at week 26, the first had significantly lower baseline nicotine dependence, anxiety, and confusion than the second. The multivariate analyses, run at baseline and at each follow-up visit, showed a higher risk to fail in quitting when anxiety was low at week 6, 9, or 12; the longitudinal analyses showed a higher risk to fail in case of overtime low anxiety, high cognitive depressive symptoms, and craving. Discussion: anxiety, cognitive depression, craving influence the possibility to quit.