Title | Evaluation of an Internet virtual world chat room for adolescent smoking cessation |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2007 |
Authors | Woodruff, SI, Conway, TL, Edwards, CC, Elliott, SP, Crittenden, J |
Journal | Addictive Behaviors |
Volume | 32 |
Pagination | 1769-1786 |
Publisher | Elsevier Science |
Place Published | Netherlands |
Publication Language | eng |
ISBN Number | 0306-4603 |
Keywords | adolescent smoking cessation, Health Behavior, Internet, Online Social Networks, Smoking Cessation, Tobacco Smoking, Treatment Effectiveness Evaluation, Virtual Reality, virtual world chat room |
Abstract | The goal of this longitudinal study was to test an innovative approach to smoking cessation that might be particularly attractive to adolescent smokers. The study was a participatory research effort between academic and school partners. The intervention used an Internet-based, virtual reality world combined with motivational interviewing conducted in real-time by a smoking cessation counselor. Participants were 136 adolescent smokers recruited from high schools randomized to the intervention or a measurement-only control condition. Those who participated in the program were significantly more likely than controls to report at the immediate post-intervention assessment that they had abstained from smoking during the past week (p ≤ .01), smoked fewer days in the past week (p ≤ .001), smoked fewer cigarettes in the past week (p ≤ .01), and considered themselves a former smoke (p ≤ .05). Only the number of times quit was statistically significant at a one-year follow-up assessment (p ≤ .05). The lack of longer-term results is discussed, as are methodological challenges in conducting a cluster-randomized smoking cessation study. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) (journal abstract) |
URL | http://libproxy.unm.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=psyh&AN=2007-11194-003&site=ehost-live&scope=siteswoodruff@projects.sdsu.edu |