Developing Genetic Education for Smoking Cessation

This study will test the effects of an educational program about genetics and smoking on smokers' thoughts, feelings, and behaviors before and after participating in smoking cessation treatment. This includes describing participants' knowledge about genetics and smoking, their use of strategies to stop smoking, and experiences when quitting smoking. This study will determine how smokers respond to information about genetics and smoking in anticipation of using genetic information to individualize pharmacological therapy for smoking cessation. Two groups will participate in this study. The experimental group will participate in two educational sessions about genetics and smoking. The control group will participate in two educational sessions about nutrition. Both the experimental and control groups will participate in a standard, group smoking cessation program with 6 weeks of over-the-counter (OTC) transdermal nicotine replacement therapy. Assignment to either of the two groups is random. The primary specific aim is to compare the effects of the experimental group to the attention control group on smoking-related mental representations, appraisals, behaviors, and affective responses over time. The secondary aim is to explore whether personality characteristics (trait negative affectivity and curiosity) and educational level moderate the effects of the genetic educational program on smoking-related mental representations, appraisals, behaviors, and affective responses. The hypotheses of the study are as follows: 1. When compared to the attention control group, the experimental group will demonstrate: * Smoking-Related Mental Representations: * Greater knowledge of genetic contributions to smoking * Greater endorsement of genetic contributions to smoking * More positive attitudes towards NRT * Increased abstainer and decreased smoker self-schemas * Smoking-Related Appraisal: greater perceived risk for genetic predispositions to smoking * Smoking-Related Behaviors: greater interest in genotyping. 2. When compared to the attention control group, the experimental group will differ in: * Smoking-Related Appraisals: self-efficacy for cessation and abstinence * Smoking-Related Behaviors: number of quit attempts, abstinence, nicotine dependence * Affective Responses: negative affect and intrusive/avoidant thoughts