The Attitude–Social Influence–Efficacy Model applied to the prediction of motivational transitions in the process of smoking cessation

The validity of the Attitude–Social influence–Efficacy (ASE) model was tested in 2 longitudinal studies. In Study 1, data of 918 participants (aged 15 yrs and older) in a mass-media smoking campaign were analyzed. The impact of perceptions of pros, cons, social influences, and self-efficacy (SE) on transitions over the motivational and behavioral phases were examined before the start of the campaign, during a post-compaign interview (time 1), and at a 10-mo followup interview (time 2). Forward movement of time 1 precontemplators was predicted only by a greater perception of the pros of quitting. Forward movement for smokers in preparation was predicted by a greater perception of their SE to quit at time 1. In Study 2, 1540 smokers who differed in their motivation to quit were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 condition providing: 1) information about the positive and negative outcomes of quitting; 2) information about SE expectations towards quitting; 3) information about both outcomes and SE expectations; 4)or no information. Smokers who were unmotivated to quit at baseline benefited most from messages that contained information about the advantages of quitting (attitudinal information). Smokers preparing to quit benefited most from messages that contained SE enhancing information. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)