Publication year: 2011
Source: Addictive Behaviors, In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available online 30 July 2011
Andrew M., Busch , Theodore L., Wagener , Kristin L., Gregor , Kevin T., Ring , Belinda, Borrelli
Studies typically measure mood changes during smoking cessation treatment in two ways: (a) by tracking mean change in depression scores or (b) by tracking the incidence of major depression development using diagnostic assessments. However, tracking mean change does not capture variability in individual mood trajectories, and diagnosing participants at multiple time points is time and labor intensive. The current study proposes a method of assessing meaningful increases in depression without the use of diagnostic assessments by utilizing reliable and clinically significant change criteria. This method was applied to 212 participants in a smoking cessation trial to explore the relationship between…
Highlights: ► Major depression may develop during smoking cessation ► We propose change criteria that may capture the development of depression ► A combination of reliable and clinically significant change criteria was utilized ► Abstinence did not affect the likelihood of developing depression ► This method may serve as a useful proxy measure for the development of depression