The influence of group cohesion on the behavioral treatment of smoking

Abstract

<p>The influence of therapeutic relationship variables in behavioral interventions, and specifically in the treatment of chronic smoking behavior, have not been systematically investigated. The present study attempted to assess the influence of one relationship variable, group cohesion, on the behavioral treatment packages of smoking, satiation and nicotine fading. Group cohesion was manipulated by incorporating several structured interventions (contracting, modeling, and behavioral practice of self-disclosure and feedback) into half of the smoking treatment groups. The treatment groups receiving the structured interventions showed a significantly higher level of group cohesion than the groups that did not experience them. The cohesion interventions had no differential impact on type of smoking treatment (aversive vs. nonaversive). Subjects in the structured cohesion intervention groups evidenced initially greater abstinence rates and higher percentage reductions from baseline smoking than did subjects in the nonintervention groups. These differences were maintained at a significant level over a three month follow-up period.</p>