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Hypnosis and behaviour therapy in smoking cessation
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Treatment Procedures
All subjects, including those in the control group, completed during the first session
a battery of questionnaires, which included demographic information and a question-
naire on their smoking, based on Chetwynd (1978). Subjects were also asked to esti-
mate the number of cigarettes they believed they were smoking per day. The predictive
value of this battery will be reported at a future time.
A blood sample (10 mls) was taken, by venepuncture, from all subjects at the first
session. This sample was later analysed for thiocyanate content using a technique de-
veloped by Pettigrew and Fell (1972).
Subjects were required to keep daily records of their smoking behaviour for 1 week
prior to the start of the treatment sessions. Self-monitoring involved recording the time
of each cigarette, with a brief description of what they were doing and how they were
feeling at that time.
Subjects were randomly assigned to one of four groups (15 each). All subjects in the
hypnosis, focussed smoking and attention placebo groups were then seen individually
for a period of 1 hour, once a week for 4 weeks. The control group were only seen at
the assessment and follow-up sessions.
All assessment and treatment was completed by the same therapist.
Hypnosis
A standard induction method, as suggested by Weitzenhoffer and Hilgard (1967),
was used. The actual hypnotic treatment was based on a modified version of the treat-
ment proposed by Spiegal (1970). This involved repeating the following critical points
while the subject was in a trance state:
1. For your body smoking is a poison.
2. You owe your body respect and protection from smoking.
3. Life as a nonsmoker means a far healthier, longer life; clear lungs, mouth and clothes;
and a great personal pride for having given up the habit.
The positive aspects of not smoking were emphasized. Four treatment sessions were
carried out at weekly intervals. It was stressed that they were expected to abstain after
the first treatment session. The subjects received all four hypnotic sessions whether
they had already successfully abstained or not.
Focussed smoking
The dangers of the rapid smoking technique are well documented (Horan, Lindberg,
& Hackett, 1977). Due to these, it was decided to use an approach that has been de-
scribed as the safe alternative to rapid smoking. This technique, known as focussed
smoking, requires the subject to smoke at their normal rate while concentrating on the
aversive aspects of the cigarette, such as smell and taste (Hackett & Horan, 1978). This
procedure takes approximately 15 minutes and was repeated three times during each
session. It was presented at a pace determined by the subject’s smoking rate. When sub-
jects experienced unpleasant effects (e.g., nausea) this was noted and emphasised dur-
ing the subsequent presentation. While all subjects were advised that they could leave
the room at any time and although most did complain of nausea after the session was
completed, no subject indicated a need to leave at any stage. These subjects were also
advised that they were expected to cease smoking after the first session. All subjects re-
ceived all four treatment sessions.
Attention placebo group
Treatment for this group consisted of general discussions of topics of concern to the
subject. During the last 5 minutes of the first session, subjects were informed that they