A comparison of covert sensitization and “nonspecific” treatment in the modification of smoking behavior

Forty-nine volunteer participants in a study to reduce cigarette smoking, were randomly assigned to one of five experimental conditions: covert sensitization, attention-placebo, self-control, monitoring control, or no-contact control. Subjects in the first three conditions received six individual contacts over a 2-week treatment period. Subjects in all three of these “treatment” conditions significantly decreased smoking behavior. There were no significant differences between these groups at the end of treatment or at follow-up. Although smoking rates increased during follow-up, subjects were still smoking significantly fewer cigarettes than baseline at the end of 6 months.