Correlation study between negative affectivity and withdrawal symptoms in smokers.

Objectives: we investigated the possible correlation between depressive and anxious symptoms, measured via a scale assessing withdrawal symptoms (Smoker Complaint Scale - SCS) and depressive and anxious symptoms measured via scales commonly used in clinical populations (i.e., Montgomery Asberg Depression Scale - MADRS, Beck Depression Inventory - BDI, Profile of Mood State - POMS, Anxiety Status Inventory - ASI, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale - SAS) (here called clinical scales). Methods: The SCS and the clinical scales were administered to a sample of subjects following a smoking cessation program. The assessment was run one week after the quit day. The exclusion criteria were: having an Axis I lifetime or current psychiatric disorder, being under psychotropic medication. Since a factorial analysis of the SCS does not exist, an exploratory Principal Component Analyses (PCA) of this scale was run to identify the SCS subscale for anxiety (SCS Anxiety) and the SCS subscale for depression (SCS Depression). Thereafter, the correlations between the SCS Anxiety and ASI, SAS, POMS – tension subscale as well as between the SCS Depression and MADRS, BDI, POMS-vigor, POMS-depression, POMS-confusion, and POMS-fatigue subscales were run. Results: Thirty-eight smokers (29 males, 9 females), smoking a mean of 19.91 ± 7.64 cigarettes per day and aged 48.62 ± 12.10 years were enrolled. According to the PCA, the SCS Anxiety and the SCS Depression were identified and presented respectively 5 and 4 items. Statistically significant correlations between these subscales and the clinical scales were found. Conclusions: The SCS and the clinical scales, which are commonly considered as measures of independent constructs, have highly correlated scores when used to assess anxious and depressive symptoms in quitting smokers. Thus, clinical scales should be applied to make a more detailed assessment once the presence of anxious/depressive symptoms has been shown by the SCS.