Most importantly, we thank our study participants and their parents selleck Enzastaurin for their cooperation and participation, without which this research would not be possible.
Research indicates that most adolescent smokers report past-year cessation attempts (Bancej, O��Loughlin, Platt, Paradis, & Gervais, 2007; Burt & Peterson, 1998; Myers & MacPherson, 2004; Sargent, Mott, & Stevens, 1998; Stanton, Lowe, & Gillespie, 1996; Sussman, Dent, Severson, Burton, & Flay, 1998). Given that teens rarely use formal treatment (Balch, 1998; Balch et al., 2004; Leatherdale & McDonald, 2005; Myers, MacPherson, Jones, & Aarons, 2007), unassisted attempts can be thought of as ��self-change�� efforts. Elucidation of adolescent smoking cessation self-change efforts may serve to inform intervention design, yet few studies have addressed this process.

Recently, the social cognition model of adolescent addictive behavior self-change was proposed (Brown, 2001; Brown et al., 2008). In this model, self-change is conceptualized as a two-phase process in which factors associated with initial efforts to change substance use (i.e., a cessation attempt) differ from those necessary to maintain behavior change. Proposed influences on the maintenance of behavior change following a cessation attempt consist of environmental and intrapersonal factors that increase or decrease motivation for maintaining change (e.g., social support, nicotine dependence) as well as self-regulation variables that play a role in managing challenges to abstinence (e.g., coping with temptations, affect management skills).

Further, the relationship between maintenance motivation factors and self-change outcomes are hypothesized to be mediated by self-regulation. Data from a recent study supported the first phase of this model for adolescent smoking cessation self-change (Myers & MacPherson, 2008). Resisting temptations to smoke has been identified as one of the key self-regulation challenges encountered by individuals who attempt smoking cessation (O��Connell et al., 1998). Circumstances that increase the risk for a lapse to smoking for adults include being in the presence of cigarettes, consuming alcohol, and experiencing negative affect (Bliss, Garvey, Heinold, & Hitchcock, 1989; O��Connell & Martin, 1987; Shiffman, 1984; Shiffman et al., 1996).

A well-developed body of research among adults has demonstrated that coping efforts in the face of temptations to smoke play an important role in the outcome of these situations. Evidence for the self-regulation function of temptation coping is supported Brefeldin_A by research, demonstrating that such coping may support abstinence by reducing the strength of urges to smoke (O��Connell, Hosein, Schwartz, & Leibowitz, 2007). Little research has addressed temptation coping for adolescent smoking.