The mediating role of mindfulness in the relationship between psychological dependence on smoking and perceived stress level
Melike Mercan Başpınar, Işıl Kibar Akıllı, Sadettin Kamat
Keywords: Addiction, smoking, mindfulness,stres, nicotine dependence
Aim:
This study aimed to detect mediating role of mindfulness in the relationship between psychological dependence on smoking and perceived stress level
Method:
An observational study was conducted on 151 smokers who applied to the outpatient clinics of a tertiary hospital between May and June 2021 in İstanbul city. Ethics committee approval was obtained from Gaziosmanpaşa Training and Research Hospital Ethics Committee, with a protocol number of 74, dated 11.05.2021. The relationships between perceived stress, psychological dependence on smoking, and mindfulness, which is considered a mediating variable, were examined using regression analysis. In addition, the Sobel Z test was used to evaluate the indirect effects.
Results:
0f 68 female (45%) and 83 male (55%) smokers were included in this study observing a mean Fagerström score 5.75±2.51 (6) and a 28.5% (n=43) heavy smoking rate. The median duration of addiction of the participants was 17 years, and the median age of starting smoking was 18 years—the rate of smoking relapse after a one-year of ex-smokers was 16.6% (n=25). Fagerström score was not related to mindfulness and stres level (p>0.05) but had a positive correlation with psychological dependence (r=0.312 p<0.001). According to the results of the regression analysis, the perceived stress level was a predictor on psychological dependence on cigarettes (B= 0.204, t= 2.548, p=0.012). The level of mindfulness was observed as a negative predictor of psychological dependence on smoking (B = -0.214, t= -3.525, p=0.001). The results of the Sobel test evaluating the mediatör role of mindfulness in the relationship of stres and psychological dependence were found significant as Z value of 2.337, standard error of 0.045 and p value of 0.019.
Conclusions:
While mindfulness did not affect the Fagerström score, it was found to be effective on psychological dependence on smoking. This situation has drawn attention to mindfulness treatments in smoking cessation treatments.
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