My future-self has (not) quit smoking: An experimental study into the effect of a future-self intervention on smoking-related self-identity constructs

Kristell M Penfornis; Winifred A Gebhardt; Ralph C A Rippe; Colette Van Laar; Bas van den Putte; Eline Meijer

doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.115667

My future-self has (not) quit smoking: An experimental study into the effect of a future-self intervention on smoking-related self-identity constructs

Soc Sci Med. 2023 Mar:320:115667. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.115667. Epub 2023 Jan 7.

Authors

Kristell M Penfornis¹, Winifred A Gebhardt², Ralph C A Rippe³, Colette Van Laar⁴, Bas van den Putte⁵, Eline Meijer⁶

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Psychology, Unit Health-, Medical- and Neuropsychology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands; Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands. Electronic address: k.m.penfornis@fsw.leidenuniv.nl.
² Institute of Psychology, Unit Health-, Medical- and Neuropsychology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands.
³ Centre for Child and Family Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands.
⁴ Social and Cultural Psychology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
⁵ Amsterdam School of Communication Research, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
⁶ Department of Public Health & Primary Care, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.

PMID: 36641885
DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.115667

Abstract

Objectives: Envisioning one's (non)smoking future may make (un)desired future identities more accessible, salient, and personally relevant and facilitate smoking cessation. The current study assessed whether a future-self intervention can weaken smoker self-identity and expected identity loss when quitting smoking, and strengthen quitter- and nonsmoker self-identity, while accounting for personal factors-socioeconomic position, nicotine dependence, consideration of future consequences, and clarity of the envisioned future-self. Additionally, it examined the association between smoking-related identity and quitting intention and behavior.

Methods: This longitudinal online experimental study randomized 233 adult smokers to an intervention condition (where they completed mental imagery, visual, and verbal tasks about a future (non)smoking self), or to a passive control condition. Smoker-, quitter-, nonsmoker self-identity and identity loss were measured post-intervention and after one- and three-months. Quit intention and attempts were measured at baseline and after one month.

Results: There was a consistent increase in non-smoker self-identity, and decrease in smoker self-identity and identity loss over a period of six months for all participants, but no significant difference in smoking-related identity between the intervention and control group. While personal factors did not moderate the effect of the intervention, we found that smoking-related identity constructs do vary with nicotine dependence, consideration of future consequences, and clarity of the envisioned future-self. Quitting behavior is primarily associated with non-smoker self-identity.

Conclusions: Although the future-self intervention did not significantly influence smoking-related identity or behavior, identity-in particular, non-smoker self-identity-is important to consider in smoking cessation interventions. More research is needed to find effective operationalizations for identity-based interventions in the context of smoking.

Keywords: Future-self intervention; Longitudinal design; Multilevel analyses; Psychosocial factors; Self-identity; Smoking.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Smokers
Smoking
Smoking Cessation*
Tobacco Use Disorder*