Assessing smoking patterns and motives.

Abstract

This article focuses on measures used to assess smoking patterns and motives. Self-report typology scales demonstrate a remarkably stable factor structure and good reliability. However, self-monitoring studies suggest that typology scales do not accurately assess smoking patterns and do not provide a good basis for treatment planning. Nevertheless, typology scores are correlated with variables such as smoking rate, craving, and cessation outcomes. These correlations may largely be accounted for by a common underlying factor, here labeled smoking drive, which may serve as a measure of dependence. Finally, the article briefly introduces new methods for assessing smoking patterns using palm-top computers to track smoking and other stimuli in real time. These methods may provide more valid assessment of smoking patterns.