A randomized-controlled trial to compare the efficacy of cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT) and hypnotherapy (HT) for smoking cessation

Einleitung: Intensive cognitive-behaviour interventions (CBT) combined with pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation are well established and have been proved to be efficacious. Nevertheless, they yield only long-term abstinence rates of less than 35%. Considering the high interest of smokers in alternative medicine, the availability of a broad range of treatment methods, of which smokers choose an intervention according to their preferences, might contribute to improve treatment outcome. While hypnotherapy (HT) is an already widely promoted alternative method for aiding cessation, considerable methodological shortcomings of studies on this topic have been claimed. The Cochrane study group (Barnes et al. 2010) concluded that it cannot be proven that hypnotherapy has a greater effect than other interventions or no treatment. This randomized, controlled trial aimed to compare the efficacy of CBT and HT for smoking cessation. It was hypothesized that 1) participants receiving CBT will evince higher abstinence rates than those receiving HT, 2) levels of nicotine dependence, self-efficacy and motivation to change will moderate the intervention effects and 3) participants with high levels of hypnotic suggestibility will evince higher abstinence rates in the HT-intervention compared to participants with low levels of hypnotic suggestibility.

Methode: A sample of 336 adult healthy smokers willing to quit was randomly assigned to receive either CBT or HT (1:1). Both programs were conducted in 6, weekly-held group sessions (90 min each), held by a clinical psychologist. Participants were followed up at 1, 3, 6, 9 und 12 months post-treatment. Main outcome of the study was biochemically validated 12-months continuous smoking abstinence according to the Russell Standard (West et al. 2005).

Diskussion/Ergebnisse: We will primarily present main findings (long term efficacy and predictors of outcome) of this randomized controlled trial comparing the efficacy of CBT and HT.

Schlussfolgerung: We will discuss impact of findings on future research and treatment recommendations. This trial was sponsored by the German Cancer Aid (Deutsche Krebshilfe e.V.).

Firmenbeziehungen: Teilnahme an Multicenterstudien von durch Pfizer, McNeil, Alkermes,