Premium
Metacognitions about smoking: a preliminary investigation
Author(s) -
Nikčević Ana V.,
Spada Marcantonio M.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
clinical psychology and psychotherapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.315
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1099-0879
pISSN - 1063-3995
DOI - 10.1002/cpp.689
Subject(s) - psychology , metacognition , feeling , cognition , perseveration , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , social psychology , psychiatry
Preliminary research has indicated that metacognitions are involved in smoking. In the present study, we aimed to investigate whether specific facets of metacognition play a role in explaining smoking initiation and perseveration. Twelve individuals, self‐identified as regular smokers and scoring a positive value on the Fagerström Test of Nicotine Dependence, were assessed using a semi‐structured interview to investigate the following: (1) whether they held positive and/or negative metacognitive beliefs about smoking; (2) what their main goal in smoking was, and how they knew if they had achieved their goal; (3) how they directed their focus of attention when smoking; and (4) what they perceived the advantages and disadvantages of these attentional strategies to be. Results indicated that participants endorsed both positive and negative metacognitive beliefs about smoking and that the goal of smoking was to regulate negative emotion and/or to enhance cognitive functioning. Participants reported that they relied either on an internal signal, such as improvement in the emotional/cognitive state, or on a physical sign, in the form of a finished cigarette, to determine if they had achieved their goal. During an episode of smoking, half of the participants reported focusing their attention internally on thoughts and feelings or the sensations of smoking. The remainder of participants reported either an exclusively external focus of attention (e.g., the environment) or a varied focus of attention. Most participants were able to identify advantages to their attentional strategies, whereas two reported perceived disadvantages. The implications of the findings are discussed. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Message • Cognitive‐attentional profiling that may aid assessment and conceptualisation of smoking behaviour.