Individual Heterogeneity of Smokers' Cigarette Cravings When Facing Environmental Stress: A Life History Perspective.
Saved in:
| Title: | Individual Heterogeneity of Smokers' Cigarette Cravings When Facing Environmental Stress: A Life History Perspective. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Feng, Yonghui (AUTHOR), Xiao, Mingyu (AUTHOR), Liu, Ziyao (AUTHOR), Liu, Chunxi (AUTHOR), Yan, Kai (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Substance Use & Misuse. 2026, Vol. 61 Issue 5, p673-681. 9p. |
| Subjects: | Self-evaluation, Smoking cessation, Statistical power analysis, Sense of agency, Research funding, Conceptual models, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, T-test (Statistics), Smoking, Pilot projects, Statistical sampling, Questionnaires, Sex distribution, Quantitative research, Emotions, Psychological adaptation, Anxiety, Descriptive statistics, Desire, Experimental design, Psychology, Social context, Individuality, Psychological stress, Life course approach, Social skills, Health behavior, Statistics, Factor analysis, Theory, Data analysis software, Confidence intervals, Self-perception, Employment, Mental depression, Regression analysis, Evaluation, Psychosocial factors, Children |
| Geographic Terms: | China |
| Abstract: | Background: Cigarette cravings have emerged as a critical factor contributing to the difficulties encountered in smoking cessation. Previous studies have demonstrated a link between environmental stress and smoking cravings in smokers. Nevertheless, a substantial body of research posits that the relationship between stress and increased smoking cravings may not be universally applicable to all smokers. Based on the perspective of evolutionary psychology, this study explores the underlying mechanism of differences in cigarette cravings among smokers in response to stress. Methods: One hundred and thirty Chinese current smokers were randomly assigned to a stress group or a control group. Environmental stress was induced through validated news material that depicted unpredictable events and employment challenges, while participants in the control group read a news report about searching for a lost key. Cigarette cravings, childhood environmental unpredictability, and sense of control were assessed by self-report questionnaire. A mediated moderation II was developed to test our hypotheses. Results: Individuals exposed to stressful circumstances exhibited heightened smoking cravings. This effect was moderated by childhood environmental unpredictability. Furthermore, the moderating effect of childhood environmental unpredictability was mediated by sense of control. Specifically, high childhood environmental unpredictability undermines individuals' sense of control, thereby amplifying their cigarette cravings under stress. Conclusion: Grounded in life history theory, this study elucidates the mechanisms through which environmental stress affects cigarette cravings, providing novel insights into their underlying determinants. Interventions may involve targeted training to modify life history strategies and bolster smokers' sense of control, thereby reducing stress susceptibility and ultimately diminishing cigarette craving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Substance Use & Misuse is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
|
Full text is not displayed to guests.
Login for full access.
|
|
| Abstract: | Background: Cigarette cravings have emerged as a critical factor contributing to the difficulties encountered in smoking cessation. Previous studies have demonstrated a link between environmental stress and smoking cravings in smokers. Nevertheless, a substantial body of research posits that the relationship between stress and increased smoking cravings may not be universally applicable to all smokers. Based on the perspective of evolutionary psychology, this study explores the underlying mechanism of differences in cigarette cravings among smokers in response to stress. Methods: One hundred and thirty Chinese current smokers were randomly assigned to a stress group or a control group. Environmental stress was induced through validated news material that depicted unpredictable events and employment challenges, while participants in the control group read a news report about searching for a lost key. Cigarette cravings, childhood environmental unpredictability, and sense of control were assessed by self-report questionnaire. A mediated moderation II was developed to test our hypotheses. Results: Individuals exposed to stressful circumstances exhibited heightened smoking cravings. This effect was moderated by childhood environmental unpredictability. Furthermore, the moderating effect of childhood environmental unpredictability was mediated by sense of control. Specifically, high childhood environmental unpredictability undermines individuals' sense of control, thereby amplifying their cigarette cravings under stress. Conclusion: Grounded in life history theory, this study elucidates the mechanisms through which environmental stress affects cigarette cravings, providing novel insights into their underlying determinants. Interventions may involve targeted training to modify life history strategies and bolster smokers' sense of control, thereby reducing stress susceptibility and ultimately diminishing cigarette craving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 10826084 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/10826084.2025.2570883 |
