Helping smokers try short, pressure-free practice quits
A Mechanistic Test of Treatment Strategies to Foster Practice Quitting
This project tries encouraging short, low-pressure practice quit attempts to help adult cigarette smokers, including those not yet ready to set a quit date, move toward lasting quitting.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rush University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11166430 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be offered brief, low-pressure "practice quits" where you try not smoking for a few hours or days without the expectation of quitting forever. The team will provide behavioral support tailored to different levels of readiness and track your practice attempts, cravings, confidence, and any later quit attempts. Researchers will use questionnaires and smoking-related measures to learn which parts of the approach help people change their smoking behavior. The aim is to create treatment content that can reach smokers who are not currently ready to set a quit date.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adult cigarette smokers, especially those who are not ready to set a quit date but are willing to try short practice quit attempts, are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People who do not smoke or who are already enrolled in intensive medical cessation programs are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could help more smokers—including those not ready to quit—move toward permanent quitting by offering effective, low-pressure ways to practice quitting.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research indicates practice quitting can lead to more quit attempts and some successful cessation, but testing specific treatment strategies and the mechanisms behind them is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, United States
- Rush University Medical Center — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mathew, Amanda R — Rush University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Mathew, Amanda R
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.