Showing papers by "Richard A. Brown published in 2010"

Randomized controlled trial of behavioral activation smoking cessation treatment for smokers with elevated depressive symptoms.

Abstract: Moderately elevated levels of pre-treatment, current depressive symptoms are associated with poor smoking cessation outcomes (e.g., Cinciripini et al., 2003; Niaura et al., 2001). Anti-depressant medications and/or mood specific cognitive behavioral treatments largely have not impacted depressive symptoms during quit attempts (e.g., Kahler et al., 2002) and treatment effects appear unrelated to depressive symptom change (e.g., Piper et al., 2008). Beyond the putative role of depressive symptoms in cessation failure, emerging research indicates a critical role of low positive affect in poor cessation outcomes (e.g., Leventhal et al., 2008; McCarthy et al., 2008) and in deprivation-induced withdrawal and craving (e.g., Cook et al., 2004). Although extant research typically has focused on the role of negative affectivity/mood on cessation failure (c.f., Spring et al., 2008), it remains crucial to consider low positive affect/anhedonia (i.e., reduced positive emotions and a diminished capacity to experience pleasure; Pizzagelli et al., 2005) as these dimensions have also predicted smoking cessation-related changes in withdrawal symptoms and relapse beyond depression history (Leventhal et al., 2008). Behavioral activation (BA; Jacobson et al., 1996; Lejuez et al., 2001) strategies may be a promising adjunct to standard cessation strategies for smokers with elevated depressive symptoms, as this is a brief approach that targets greater contact with more valued environments through systematic efforts to increase rewarding experiences/enjoyment of daily activities, which may simultaneously reduce negative affect and improve positive affect through overt behavior change (Hopko, Lejuez et al., 2003). We conducted a small scale randomized clinical trial of BA strategies with standard cognitive-behavioral smoking cessation strategies including transdermal nicotine patch (BATS). The comparison condition received standard smoking cessation treatment including transdermal nicotine patch (ST), matched for overall contact time. We hypothesized participants in BATS would evidence higher point prevalence abstinence rates at 1, 4, 16, and 26 weeks post assigned quit date, as well as decreased depressive symptoms and enjoyment from daily activities at those time periods.

Assessing the severity of hazardous drinking and related consequences among incarcerated women.

Abstract: Background: Recent epidemiological efforts have demonstrated the utility of measuring individual differences in the severity of alcohol use along a single severity continuum marked by alcohol-related problems, symptoms of alcohol dependence, and the social consequences of drinking Translation of this utility to specialized clinical populations is not assured The expected inter-relationships among problems, symptoms and consequences, and enhanced sensitivity of combined assessments require confirmation in applied clinical settings Method: Subjects were 245 incarcerated women who met Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test criteria for hazardous use of alcohol Participants were recruited from a statewide adult correctional facility for an ongoing clinical trial testing the effectiveness of brief motivational interviewing on alcohol use and HIV risk behaviors Participants ranged in age from 18 to 56 (M = 341, SD = 89), 714% were Caucasian, and 657% reported Language: en

History of single episode and recurrent major depressive disorder among smokers in cessation treatment: Associations with depressive symptomatology and early cessation failure.

Abstract: Objectives: Research and theory provide initial support for the potential utility in distinguishing between recurrent and single episode MDD smokers for cessation treatment. However, no study to date has examined differences in clinical presentation at the outset of treatment among these two groups and whether these clinical profiles are indicative of early cessation failure (smoking on quit day).