Changes in self‐efficacy associated with success in quitting smoking in participants in Japanese smoking cessation therapy

Aims: To identify the strength of self‐efficacy during 12‐week smoking cessation therapy (SCT) that consisted of 5 sessions and its association with the success of smoking cessation at the end of SCT. Background: Few studies showed to what level self‐efficacy should be reinforced to facilitate success in smoking cessation. Design: Prospective cohort study. Methods: We enrolled 488 smokers who received SCT from 6 Japanese smoking cessation clinics between October 2008 and October 2014. In each smoker, the self‐efficacy of quitting smoking was assessed at each session of SCT. The association of the strength of self‐efficacy with the success of smoking cessation was investigated by logistic regression analysis adjusting for age, gender, having a present illness, prescription, and nicotine dependence score. Results: The self‐efficacy of the 398 abstainers was significantly higher than that of the 90 nonabstainers at the first to fifth sessions of the SCT (P <.001 each). Participants with self-efficacy scores of greater than 60% were significantly more likely to attain abstinence than those with scores of 40% and less. Conclusion: During SCT, nurses' counselling to maintain patients' self‐efficacy scores of smoking cessation in the range from 61% to 100% may be important for assisting patients in achieving smoking cessation.