Evaluation of an act Internet Based Intervention on Smoking Cessation for Adolescents

Abstract

Research supports that internet-based interventions are cost effective and cater to individuals who are unable/unwilling to attend weekly treatment sessions with a therapist. An advantage they may have is that they utilize technology attractive to youth (interactive games, animation, video clips etc.) and may reach and engage a wider range of individuals than traditional face-to-face interventions. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an empirically-based intervention that uses acceptance and mindfulness strategies and has been shown to increase psychological flexibility. Smoking remains a global concern especially in adolescence. The present study aimed to create and investigate the usefulness and effectiveness of an ACT internet-based smoking cessation intervention for high school student smokers. This intervention was compared to a waitlist control group. Participants were asked to complete questionnaires relating to process and outcome measures pre-, during, and post-treatment. Results indicate an increase in psychological flexibility, self-efficacy and motivation to quit smoking and show promise that internet-based interventions can reach youth for smoking cessation.