Hoeppner BB, Siegel KR, Carlon HA, Kahler CW, Park ER, Hoeppner SS. (2021). A smoking cessation app for nondaily smokers (version 2 of the Smiling Instead of Smoking app): Acceptability and feasibility study. JMIR Form Res. doi: 10.2196/29760
Researchers evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of version 2 of the Smiling Instead of Smoking app, a positive psychology intervention to help nondaily smokers quit. The study recruited 100 nondaily smokers to use the Smiling Instead of Smoking version 2 app for seven weeks during a quit attempt. The smartphone app provides daily positive psychology exercises and behavioral challenges every 2-3 days. The app also includes tools to track smoking behavior, summary graphs, reminders, note keeping and health information. The study tested feasibility and acceptability by analyzing participants’ interactions with the app, ratings of app usability and usefulness, and perceptions of the helpfulness of the app. Participants also self-reported their desire to smoke, self-efficacy, positive affect, and smoking status. On average, participants used the app for 24.7 out of 49 days. A majority of participants rated the app as easy to use and useful; 87% of participants said the app helped them to quit smoking and 82% said the app helped them to stay positive during the quit attempt. Large effects were observed in decreases in desire to smoke, importance of pros in smoking, and psychoactive benefits of smoking. Medium effects were found in remaining abstinent when met with internal and external cues. However, results indicated unexpected decreases in motivation to quit smoking and in perceived importance of the pros of quitting. Researchers concluded that the Smiling Instead of Smoking V2 was acceptable and feasible in promoting smoking cessation among nondaily smokers. Larger randomized controlled studies are needed.