Chapter 52 - Smoking Abstinence Expectancies Questionnaire

Abstract

Smoking abstinence expectancies refer to the negative and positive beliefs about the acute effects of nicotine abstinence. Smoking abstinence expectancies are positioned to either impede or promote quit behavior and thereby quit success. The Smoking Abstinence Expectancies Questionnaire (Abrams, Zvolensky, Dorman, Gonzalez, & Mayer, 2011) was developed to assess smoking abstinence expectancies. This measure assesses four unique facets of smoking abstinence expectancies: negative mood, somatic symptoms, harmful consequences, and positive consequences. Prior research has found strong initial evidence for the Smoking Abstinence Expectancies Questionnaire as a valid measure of smoking abstinence expectancies. Specifically, this measure has demonstrated strong convergent and discriminant validity and internal consistency. Sex and special population differences have also been reported across the Smoking Abstinence Expectancies Questionnaire dimensions. Importantly, much of this work has been cross validated in independent samples, which provides evidence for the robustness of this measure. Despite its strengths, additional work is needed to further expand the construct validity argument for this measure, including tests of measurement invariance and an evaluation of its malleability. Nevertheless, the Smoking Abstinence Expectancies Questionnaire is a psychometrically sound, clinically relevant tool for assessing smoking abstinence expectancies and is advisable to use as a screening tool in clinical and research settings.