Smartphone app helps nondaily smokers quit
Official title: Randomized clinical trial to test the efficacy of a smartphone app for smoking cessation for nondaily smokers
Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-11381209 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A smartphone app called Smiling Instead of Smoking (SiS) is being tested to help adults who smoke non-daily to quit for good.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | August 3, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $687,021 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA282223-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11381209 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults 21+ who smoke nondaily and are motivated to quit, with Android smartphone access.
✕Less likely to help
Adults who do not use Android devices or are not motivated to quit may not benefit from this app.
What this research studies
This project tests a behavioral treatment delivered through a smartphone app designed specifically for nondaily smokers. The SiS app uses positive psychology exercises to boost positive mood and self-identity as a nonsmoker while users work toward abstinence. The study builds on prior work showing positive affect can support quit attempts and aims to demonstrate feasibility, engagement, and abstinence rates in a real-world setting. Participants will be adults 21 and older with nondaily smoking patterns who have access to an Android device. If successful, the approach could offer a scalable, non-pharmacologic option to reduce smoking-related harms in this population.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this app could provide nondaily smokers with an accessible, engaging tool to achieve and maintain abstinence.
How similar studies have gone: Previous trials for nondaily smoking focused on medications and showed limited efficacy; this is one of the first to test a positive-psychology–based digital intervention.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hoeppner, Bettina B. — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Hoeppner, Bettina B.
Related research
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Peer-led smoking-cessation program for public housing residents
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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.