Anhedonia and smoking cessation among Spanish-speaking Mexican-Americans

Anxiety sensitivity in relation to smoking dependence motives among Latinx persons who smoke

Hispanic/Latinx (hereafter Latinx) persons are an established tobacco disparities population in the United States (US). Past work has suggested that individual differences in anxiety sensitivity, or the fear of arousal-based sensations, is one important cognitive construct for smoking maintenance and relapse among Latinx persons who smoke. However, previous research has not examined if anxiety sensitivity is associated with motivational facets of smoking dependence among this tobacco disparities population. In the current study, anxiety sensitivity was explored in terms of smoking motives for primary, secondary, and overall cigarette dependence. Participants included 336 English-speaking Latinx adults in the US who smoked cigarettes daily (Mage = 35.53, SD = 8.65, 37.3% Female). Results indicated that anxiety sensitivity was statistically significantly and positively related to higher primary and secondary dependence motives and marginally statistically significant to cigarette dependence; findings were evident after adjusting for numerous theoretically relevant variables (e.g., depression). Overall, the current study is the first to document linkages between anxiety sensitivity and numerous motivational bases of tobacco dependence among Latinx persons who smoke from the US.

Deep sequencing of candidate genes identified 14 variants associated with smoking abstinence in an ethnically diverse sample

Despite the large public health toll of smoking, genetic studies of smoking cessation have been limited with few discoveries of risk or protective loci. We investigated common and rare variant associations with success in quitting smoking using a cohort from 8 randomized controlled trials involving 2231 participants and a total of 10,020 common and 24,147 rare variants. We identified 14 novel markers including 6 mapping to genes previously related to psychiatric and substance use disorders, 4 of which were protective (CYP2B6 (rs1175607105), HTR3B (rs1413172952; rs1204720503), rs80210037 on chr15), and 2 of which were associated with reduced cessation (PARP15 (rs2173763), SCL18A2 (rs363222)). The others mapped to areas associated with cancer including FOXP1 (rs1288980) and ZEB1 (rs7349). Network analysis identified significant canonical pathways for the serotonin receptor signaling pathway, nicotine and bupropion metabolism, and several related to tumor suppression. Two novel markers (rs6749438; rs6718083) on chr2 are flanked by genes associated with regulation of bodyweight. The identification of novel loci in this study can provide new targets of pharmacotherapy and inform efforts to develop personalized treatments based on genetic profiles.

Anxiety-related constructs and smoking outcome expectancies among Latinx smokers

Hispanic/Latinx (hereafter Latinx) smokers in the United States (US) experience unique smoking cessation-related challenges. Smoking outcome expectancies (i.e., positive and negative beliefs about the consequences of smoking behavior) have been linked to the maintenance of smoking and comorbidity with negative emotional states such as anxiety among Latinx smokers. However, past work has not characterized rates of probable anxiety disorder and elevated levels of anxiety sensitivity among English-speaking daily Latinx smokers from the United States or concurrently evaluated the explanatory relevance of anxiety symptoms and anxiety sensitivity for negative and positive smoking outcome expectancies. The present investigation sought to (a) determine the base rate of probable anxiety disorder and elevated anxiety sensitivity and (b) explore the unique roles of anxiety symptoms and anxiety sensitivity in relation to negative and positive smoking outcome expectancies. Participants included 338 English-speaking Latinx adult daily cigarette smokers from the United States (Mage = 35.53 years; SD = 8.65; age range 18-61; 37.3% female). Findings revealed high rates of probable anxiety disorder (50.9%) and elevated anxiety sensitivity (73.4%) among English-speaking Latinx smokers from the United States. Anxiety sensitivity, but not anxiety symptoms or disorders, was significantly related to negative consequences, negative reinforcement, positive reinforcement, and appetite/weight control smoking outcome expectancies. Overall, anxiety experiences were common among Latinx smokers, and anxiety sensitivity was a relatively more consistent and robust predictor of negative and positive outcome expectancies relative to anxiety symptoms and probable anxiety disorder. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Associations of positive and negative affect on health risk behaviors among Latinos

OBJECTIVE

Negative affect is widely emphasized in behavior modification interventions. However, positive affect is associated with smoking cessation, physical activity, and healthy dietary habits and may be an important treatment target. Few studies have examined the relationship between positive affect and health behaviors among Latinos, who disproportionately experience modifiable health risk behaviors. This study examined the independent associations of positive affect and negative affect on modifiable health risk behaviors among Latino adults.

METHOD

Data came from 432 persons who participated in one of two studies examining determinants of modifiable health risk behaviors among Latino adults. Primary outcomes were current smoking, at-risk drinking, insufficient physical activity, and insufficient fruit and vegetable consumption. Predictors were positive and negative affect as measured by the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. Associations between positive and negative affect and health risk behaviors were examined using multiple logistic regression.

RESULTS

Positive affect was associated with lower odds of insufficient physical activity and insufficient fruit and vegetable consumption and lower odds of engaging in multiple health risk behaviors. Negative affect was associated with higher odds of at-risk drinking and current smoking.

CONCLUSIONS

Emphasis on increasing positive affect may be warranted for multiple health risk behavior interventions targeting Latinos. Intervention development efforts may also consider prioritizing positive affect for physical activity and dietary interventions, and negative affect for at-drinking and smoking cessation interventions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

The contribution of positive affect and loneliness on readiness and self-efficacy to quit smoking among Spanish-speaking Mexican American smokers

BACKGROUND

The existing research on affective and interpersonal determinants of smoking cessation largely under-represents minority smokers, such as Latinos.

OBJECTIVE

The current study examined associations between affective and interpersonal factors with intermediary smoking cessation variables among Mexican-American smokers (N = 290; 60% male).

METHODS

Measures of positive and negative affect, social support, and loneliness were each examined for associations with measures of motivational readiness to quit smoking, and smoking abstinence self-efficacy. Significant predictors were entered into models simultaneously to examine their unique associations. Covariates included gender, age, and educational attainment.

RESULTS

Negative affect (b = .68, SE b = .14, p < .001) and loneliness (b = .20, SE b = .09, p < .05) were independently associated with motivation. Negative affect (b = .20, SE b = .06, p < .01) and positive affect (b = .34 SE b = .07, p < .001) were independently associated with self-efficacy. In the final models, only negative affect was associated with motivation (b = .68, SE b = .17, p < .001); whereas negative (b = .17, SE b = .06, p < .01) and positive (b = . 32, SE b = .07, p < .001) affect were associated with self-efficacy.

CONCLUSION

Results highlight the importance of resilience factors (e.g., positive affect) among Mexican-American smokers. Cessation interventions regularly target negative affect among smokers; additional focus on positive affect in cessation interventions with this population may be warranted.