Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42673520›Full record

ArticleNicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco2026

Positive Psychotherapy for Smoking Cessation Enhanced with Text Messaging: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Christopher W Kahler, Patricia A Cioe, Bettina B Hoeppner, Megan Strowger, Tessa Nalven, Nichea S Spillane, Acacia Parks, Beth C Bock, Richard A Brown

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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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

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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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Christopher W KahlerCenter for Alcohol and Addiction Studies and the Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI.ORCID 0000-0002-6248-4149
Patricia A CioeUniversity of Rhode Island School of Nursing, Providence, RI.
Bettina B HoeppnerDepartment of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.ORCID 0000-0002-5577-659X
Megan StrowgerCenter for Alcohol and Addiction Studies and the Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI.ORCID 0000-0002-8476-5099
Tessa NalvenCenter for Alcohol and Addiction Studies and the Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI.ORCID 0000-0002-1332-195X
Nichea S SpillaneDepartment of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
Acacia ParksLiquid Amber, Courtland, OH.
Beth C BockAlpert Medical School of Brown University and The Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI.
Richard A BrownDepartment of Psychology and School of Nursing, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX.ORCID 0000-0003-1458-9285

Funding

Positive Psychotherapy for Smoking Cessation Enhanced with Text Messaging: A Randomized Controlled TrialR01CA201262 · NCI · BROWN UNIVERSITY · PI KAHLER, CHRISTOPHER W. · 2016 to 2020
$2.6M
NCI NIH HHS R01 CA201262
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionPositive Psychology Interventions (PPIs) aim to enhance well-being and have shown promise in improving mental health and augmenting behavioral interventions. Although pilot studies have suggested PPIs may support smoking cessation, no full-scale randomized clinical trials (RCTs) have tested their efficacy in this context.

methodIn this RCT, 271 adults who smoked > 5 cigarettes per day (55.2% female, mean age = 49.2 (SD = 12.0); average cigarettes per day = 16.9 [SD = 7.0]) were randomized to six sessions of Positive Psychotherapy for Smoking Cessation with text messaging (PPT-S+) or a time-matched standard treatment with text messaging (ST+). All participants received eight weeks of nicotine replacement therapy (transdermal nicotine patch). The primary outcome was biochemically-confirmed 7-day point-prevalence smoking abstinence at 12, 26, and 52 post quit date.

resultsSeven-day point-prevalence abstinence did not differ significantly by condition: 20.9%, 19.4%, and 19.4% at 12, 26, and 52 weeks in PPT-S+ compared to 19.1%, 20.6%, and 21.4% at 12, 26, and 52 weeks in ST+. Conditions did not differ in self-reported use of positive psychology-consistent strategies for quitting smoking at posttreatment, representing an implementation failure, and these strategies did not significantly predict subsequent smoking outcomes. Those in ST+ rated the text messaging program as significantly more helpful than those in PPT-S+.

conclusionsPPT-S+ did not improve smoking cessation outcomes compared to a time-matched control. The completion of positive psychology exercises through text messaging may have reduced the helpfulness of the text-messaging support program received in both conditions.

Indexed as

Positive psychologypositive psychotherapysmokingsmoking cessationtext messaging

Identifiers

PMID42673520
PMCPMC13571817

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.