Abstract
BackgroundSmoking cessation behavioural support can be effective but practitioners differ markedly in effectiveness, possibly due to variation in the quality of delivery of key behaviour change techniques, such as goal setting (i.e. setting a quit date).ObjectivesThis study aimed to (i) develop a reliable method for assessing the quality of practitioners’ support in setting quit dates and (ii) assess whether quality predicts initiation of abstinence as a first step to quitting.MethodsA scale for scoring the quality of goal setting was developed from national guidance documents and applied to 85 transcribed behavioural support sessions. Inter-rater reliability was assessed. Associations between quality scores and quit attempts were assessed.ResultsThe 10-item scale produced had good inter-rater reliability (Kappa = 0.68). Higher quality goal setting was associated with increased self-reported quit attempts (p < .001; OR = 2.60, 95 % CI 1.54–4.40). The scale components ‘set a clear quit date’ (χ2 (2, N = 85) = 22.3, p < .001) and ‘within an appropriate timeframe’ (χ2 (2, N = 85) = 15.5, p < .001) were independently associated with quit attempts.ConclusionsIt is possible to reliably assess the quality of goal setting in smoking cessation behavioural support. Higher quality of goal setting is associated with greater likelihood of initiating quit attempts.
Highlights
Behaviour change interventions are complex, featuring multiple, potentially interacting, component behaviour change techniques. [1, 2] The implementation of such complex interventions on a large scale or in clinical practice is rarely consistent or straightforward. [3, 4] It has been demonstrated that when interventions are consistently delivered as intended, they will produce better results than when delivery is poor or variable [5,6,7]
It is possible to reliably assess the quality of goal setting in smoking cessation behavioural support
Higher quality of goal setting is associated with greater likelihood of initiating quit attempts
Summary
Behaviour change interventions are complex, featuring multiple, potentially interacting, component behaviour change techniques. [1, 2] The implementation of such complex interventions on a large scale or in clinical practice is rarely consistent or straightforward. [3, 4] It has been demonstrated that when interventions are consistently delivered as intended, they will produce better results than when delivery is poor or variable [5,6,7]. There is a lack of standard definitions or methods for assessing the quality with which behaviour change interventions are delivered. There are numerous examples of strategies for assessing the quality of delivery of interventions such as cognitive behavioural therapy [10, 11]. These strategies typically equate the quality of intervention delivery ann. Smoking cessation behavioural support can be effective but practitioners differ markedly in effectiveness, possibly due to variation in the quality of delivery of key behaviour change techniques, such as goal setting (i.e. setting a quit date). Methods A scale for scoring the quality of goal setting was developed from national guidance documents and applied to 85 transcribed behavioural support sessions. The scale components ‘set a clear quit date’ (χ2 (2, N=85)=22.3, p
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