The relationship between impaired decision-making, sensation seeking and readiness to change in cigarette smokers.

OBJECTIVE

The study investigated whether impaired decision-making as measured by the Gambling Task and Sensation Seeking, on one hand, and nicotine-dependence and readiness to change, on the other hand, show mutual influences in cigarette smokers.

METHODS

Cigarette smokers were classified as dependent or non-dependent smokers. Assessment included stages of change (RCQ), decisional balance (DBS), Sensation Seeking Scale Form-V (SSS-V), and performance on the Gambling Task (GT).

RESULTS

With the exception of a significant higher score in the SSS-V subscale Experience Seeking in dependent smokers, correlations between nicotine-dependence and cognitive features were not significant. The directions of the non-significant differences were not consistent. No significant relationship was found between the SSS-V and the GT, on one hand, and the readiness to change smoking behaviour, on the other hand.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the present study suggest that impaired performance on the GT and high scores in Sensation Seeking do not play an important role in nicotine-dependence and readiness to change smoking behaviour or vice versa.