Social and cognitive factors contributing to the intention to undergo a smoking cessation treatment.

Elaborating on a recently developed perspective, it is predicted that interest in the use of smoking cessation treatments (SCTs) is typical of 'dissonant smokers,' that is, smokers who dearly want to quit but feel unable to do so. Further, it is assumed that the interest in the use of SCTs is more prevalent among subjects who believe in the efficacy of these treatments. Finally, it is assumed that past behavior has an important influence on the interest in the use of SCTs. The theory was tested using analysis of linear-structural relations (LISREL) on a Dutch national probability sample of 763 adults, all smoking cigarettes and/or cigars. Results show that interest in the use of SCTs was positively influenced by being old, information seeking about smoking cessation in the past, nicotine dependency, having undergone a SCT in the past, experiencing social stimulation for abstinence, seeing many advantages and or many disadvantages with regards to abstinence, and having a positive attitude towards SCTs.