Social support in a worksite smoking intervention. A test of theoretical models.
Adding peer-support groups to your current package keeps good results going years later.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team ran a worksite smoking program for adults. Everyone got self-help manuals and money for staying smoke-free. Half the workers also met in small support groups once a week.
The study tracked partner support and who stayed quit for two full years.
What they found
Workers who joined the support groups felt more partner help and stayed smoke-free longer. The extra group piece made the whole package work better.
Two years later, the support-group workers were still ahead.
How this fits with other research
Turk et al. (2010) and Alon (2019) show the same lift in moms of kids with autism. When these moms get support groups, their mood and optimism rise just like the workers' quit rates.
Renty et al. (2007) found big gains for adults with autism and their spouses. Informal support groups explained most of their progress, matching the smoking study's pattern.
Dudley et al. (2019) bundled health classes with peer support for moms of kids with disabilities. The mix cut stress and boosted healthy habits, echoing the smoking study's bundle of manuals, cash, and groups.
Why it matters
You already run groups for parents, staff, or clients. Slip a five-minute peer-share into any meeting. Ask, "Who can you text this week for help?" Then list local support groups on the back of your handouts. The smoking study shows the group piece keeps gains alive years later, so don't skip it.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
To better understand how social support operates in smoking cessation, three models of support were tested: main effect, stress-buffering, and indirect. Employees from 61 worksites received (a) self-help manuals (SH); (b) self-help manuals and incentives (I); or (c) self-help manuals, incentives, and social support groups (G). At 24 months, results suggest that the main effect model of social support was operating in this study. That is, social support had a direct influence on smoking cessation. The group intervention significantly enhanced positive partner support across all time points, and partner support facilitated quitting smoking. Higher levels of appraisal support also significantly predicted successful quitting. The beneficial effects of social support were sustained throughout the process of quitting and long-term maintenance.
Behavior modification, 2000 · doi:10.1177/0145445500242002