Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39259134›Full record

Trial reportNicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco2025

Approach Bias and Tobacco Craving as Mechanisms of the Effect of Approach Bias Retraining on Smoking Cessation.

Lorra Garey, Mike Rinck, David Rosenfield, Pamella Nizio, Christopher G Beevers, Richard A Brown, Haley E Conroy Busch, Christina D Dutcher, Bryan McSpadden, Michael J Zvolensky and 1 more

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Lorra GareyDepartment of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-4167-7232
Mike RinckBehavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
David RosenfieldDepartment of Psychology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75205, USA.
Pamella NizioDepartment of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA.
Christopher G BeeversInstitute for Mental Health Research and Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
Richard A BrownInstitute for Mental Health Research and Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
Haley E Conroy BuschDepartment of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA.
Christina D DutcherInstitute for Mental Health Research and Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
Bryan McSpaddenInstitute for Mental Health Research and Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
Michael J ZvolenskyDepartment of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-1869-0906
Jasper A J SmitsInstitute for Mental Health Research and Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.

Funding

Testing a Digital Therapeutic for Smoking Cessation among Hispanic Persons who SmokeU54MD015946 · NIMHD · UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON · PI MICHAEL J. ZVOLENSKY · 2020 to 2026
$22.0M
Approach Bias Retraining to Augment Smoking CessationR34DA044431 · NIDA · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN · PI SMITS, JASPER · 2017 to 2019
$669k
Approach Bias Retraining for Nicotine Addiction among Dual Combustible and Electronic Cigarette UsersR21CA263765 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON · PI GAREY, LORRA · 2022 to 2023
$525k
NCI NIH HHS 3R21CA263765-01A1S1NCI NIH HHS R21 CA263765NIDA NIH HHS R34 DA044431NIDA NIH HHS R34DA044431NIH HHSNIMHD NIH HHS U54 MD015946University of Houston U54MD015946
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionApproach bias, the automatic tendency to advance toward, rather than move away from appetitive cues, has been associated with greater tobacco cravings, dependence, and likelihood of smoking relapse. Approach bias retraining (ABR) has emerged as one way to reduce approach bias and promote avoidance of smoking cues. Yet, additional research is needed to identify the mechanisms that may help explain the effect of ABR on smoking cessation. AIMS AND

methodsThe current study uses data collected as part of a randomized controlled trial to test two unique mechanisms of action ([1] approach bias and [2] tobacco craving) for the efficacy of standard smoking cessation treatment (ST) augmented by ABR on smoking abstinence. Participants were 96 adult daily smokers (Mage = 43.1, SD = 10.7) motivated to quit smoking.

resultsResults showed that lower approach bias and lower cravings at a treatment session were significantly related to the next session smoking abstinence (p's < .018). Furthermore, deviations in approach bias partially mediated the effect of ABR on smoking abstinence (ab = -12.17, 95% CI: [-29.67, -0.53]). However, deviations in tobacco craving did not mediate this relation (ab = .40, 95% CI: [-0.27, 1.34]).

conclusionsThe current findings add to the extant literature by identifying approach bias as a mechanism of action of the effect of ABR on smoking abstinence during smoking cessation treatment. IMPLICATIONS: The current study adds to the best of our knowledge on the effectiveness of ABR as a part of smoking cessation treatment. Results indicate that reductions in approach bias partially mediate the effect of ABR on smoking abstinence. These findings are consistent with previous research on alcohol-dependent adults and underline the potential of ABR to reduce approach bias and promote smoking cessation among smokers. Such findings could inform the development of future research exploring more targeted and effective smoking cessation interventions, ultimately improving outcomes for individuals attempting to quit smoking.

Indexed as

CravingSmoking CessationTobacco Use DisorderAdultCuesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedMotivation

Identifiers

PMID39259134
PMCPMC12012234

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.