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COMMITMENT TO CHANGE: EFFECTS OF CONTRACTUAL AND SCANNING-FOCUSING TECHNIQUES ON SMOKING BEHAVIOR
Abstract
Commitment to change is a concept that has been extensively explored in the decision-making literature. Conflict (Janis & Mann, 1968) and dissonance (Festinger, 1957) theories both provide systems for understanding the development and maintenance of commitment to decisions. These theories are limited, however, in describing the development of commitment to change in a counseling relationship. In this study, an interactional counseling model (Strong & Matross, 1973) was utilized to account for factors within a counseling relationship which facilitate or mitigate against client commitment to change. Building on theory, a contractual and scanning-focusing technique was employed to manipulate commitment to change in a field study of adult smoking behavior. Subjects were divided into three groups: (1) treatment (n = 12)--subjects who received both commitment-enhancement and American Cancer Society (ACS) group treatment, (2) control (n = 12)--subjects who received only ACS treatment and (3) dropout (n = 19)--subjects who did not complete the program or refused to provide smoking rate data. Smoking rate and carbon monoxide levels were taken on subjects during the four weeks of treatment and for six weeks of follow-up. The flexibility (Fx) scale of the California Psychological Inventory was also administered to all subjects to explore the relationship between this factor and completion of the stop smoking program. Four hypotheses were tested. First, it was hypothesized that treatment conditions would effect greater smoking cessation than control conditions. Secondly, it was hypothesized that reductions in smoking rates would be greater among treatment than control group subjects. Thirdly, maintenance of effects achieved during treatment would be greater among treatment than control group subjects. Finally, Fx scores would be related to treatment outcome. Study results provided support for the hypothesized effects of commitment-enhancement techniques on smoking behavior change. Although all subjects significantly reduced their smoking rates during the treatment phase, treatment subjects did so significantly more than controls. Secondly, more subjects under commitment-enhancement conditions achieved smoking cessation during the program. These differences were maintained over the six weeks of follow-up. Study results were discussed in terms of their implications for theory as well as for future commitment-enhancement research. Limitations of study findings because of selection and mortality factors were examined. Suggestions for future research were briefly outlined.
Subject Area
Educational psychology
Recommended Citation
ROTHMEIER, ROSEMARIE CLAIRE, "COMMITMENT TO CHANGE: EFFECTS OF CONTRACTUAL AND SCANNING-FOCUSING TECHNIQUES ON SMOKING BEHAVIOR" (1981). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI8122602.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI8122602