A Randomized Controlled Trial of an Appearance-Related Smoking Intervention

Objectives: To investigate whether exposure to a smoking-related facial age-progression technique
impacts on quit smoking cognitions, nicotine dependence, and self-reported and objectively assessed
smoking in young women in a randomized controlled trial. Methods: eighteen- to 34-year-old women
smokers (n � 70) were allocated at random to either an appearance-related intervention (plus usual care)
or control (usual care) group. Women completed questionnaires assessing attitudes, subjective norms,
perceived behavioral control and intention to quit smoking immediately before, immediately after, and
four weeks after receiving the intervention or usual care. At the first and last time points they also
completed measures of nicotine dependence and self-reported and objectively assessed smoking (breath
carbon monoxide levels). Results: The two groups were well matched at baseline. Using intention to treat
analyses and baseline as a covariate, women in the appearance-related intervention group compared to
the control group had significantly more positive attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral
control, and intentions to quit smoking immediately after exposure. Only the effects on quit smoking
attitudes remained significant at four weeks postintervention. Nicotine dependence and self-reported
smoking (total cigarettes in last seven days), but not objective smoking, were significantly lower in the
intervention compared with control group at four weeks. Conclusions: This study suggests that an
appearance-related smoking intervention may be a useful adjunct to traditional cessation programs with
young women smokers.