Abstract
M.A.
The aim of this study was to investigate the psychological barriers to the cessation of smoking behaviour as experienced by addictive smokers in a South African context, and also to assess the relative importance of these barriers. These barriers were viewed as arising from perceptions of the costs and benefits or pros and cons of smoking and smoking cessation. This cognitive appraisal process was understood as being a series of schema for comprehending both the cognitive and motivational aspects of human planning for future action.
The transtheoretical or stages of change model was used as a theoretical framework upon which the research was constructed. The model holds that two interrelated dimensions are necessary in order to adequately assess the behaviour modification of smoking and other such health compromising behaviours: stages of change and processes of change. Stages of change refer to the temporal, motivational, and constancy aspects of change while processes of change focus on activities and events that facilitate successful modification of a problem behaviour such as smoking, and represent coping activities used to modify smoking behaviour.
The study hypothesized firstly that precontemplative smokers would demonstrate the highest ratings on the risks of smoking cessation and the lowest ratings on the benefits, while smokers in the contemplation stage would demonstrate a greater balance of risks and benefits of smoking cessation and smokers in the preparation stage would demonstrate highest ratings on the benefits of smoking cessation and the lowest ratings on the risks. In this way the study assessed the validity of various stages of change research in a South African context regarding the weighing up of the pros and cons of smoking behaviour and the expected linear shift in perceptions as the action stage is approached. However, for the purposes of the research conducted, the contemplation and preparation stages were combined to form what was referred to as the planning stage. Secondly, the study hypothesized that at each of the various stages, certain perceptions of the risks and benefits of smoking cessation would emerge as being of greater significance than others.
A positivist approach to theory and investigation was utilized for the purposes of conducting the research. In accordance with this approach, quantitative self report data was collected. The Perceived Risks and Benefits Questionnaire was used as a means of assessing the perceived risks and benefits associated with smoking cessation.
The results of this study demonstrated that stages of change did indeed have an effect on the way in which the risks and benefits of smoking cessation were perceived. In this regard, the variations between the various stages were in accordance with the findings of prior stages of change research. Certain risks and benefits also emerged as being of greater significance than others for smokers in the various stages. Results also underlined the importance taking a smokers stage of change of change into account when considering smoking cessation programmes. Processes of change as identified within the transtheoretical model emerged here as having a potentially important role to play, but more research investigating the matching of stages and processes of change in a South African context is required.
In addition, it is also recommended that future research in this area be conducted within a variety of demographic and socio-economic contexts in South Africa. Research that is longitudinal in nature is also viewed as being potentially beneficial, as is research of a qualitative nature. Such investigations are viewed as important because they would continue to enrich our understanding of the journey towards smoking cessation as experienced by South African smokers.
Dr. Hilton Rudnick