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Objective: Based on conceptual models of addiction and affect regulation, this study examined the mechanisms linking current major depressive syndrome (MDS) and anxiety syndrome (AS) to postpartum smoking relapse. Method: Data were collected in a randomized clinical trial from 251 women who quit smoking during pregnancy. Simple and multiple mediation models of the relations of MDS and AS with postpartum relapse were examined using linear regression, continuation ratio logit models, and a bootstrapping procedure to test the indirect effects. Results: Both MDS and AS significantly predicted postpartum smoking relapse. After adjusting for MDS, AS significantly predicted relapse. However, after adjusting for AS, MDS no longer predicted relapse. Situationally based self-efficacy, expectancies of controlling negative affect by means other than smoking, and various dimensions of primary and secondary tobacco dependence individually mediated the effect of both MDS and AS on relapse. In multiple mediation models, self-efficacy in negative/affective situations significantly mediated the effect of MDS and AS on relapse. Conclusions: The findings underscore the negative impact of depression and anxiety on postpartum smoking relapse and suggest that the effects of MDS on postpartum relapse may be largely explained by comorbid AS. The current investigation provided mixed support for affect regulation models of addiction. Cognitive and tobacco dependence-related aspects of negative and positive reinforcement significantly mediated the relationship of depression and anxiety with relapse, whereas affect and stress did not. The findings emphasize the unique role of low agency with respect to abstaining from smoking in negative affective situations as a key predictor of postpartum smoking relapse. (Contains 1 figure and 4 tables.)

To purchase or authenticate to the full-text of this article, please visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.2008.00493.x Byline: Michael H. Kernis (1), Chad E. Lakey (1), Whitney L. Heppner (1) Abstract: ABSTRACT Why is it that many individuals verbally rationalize and distort self-esteem threatening information? We examined whether such verbal defensiveness (Feldman Barrett, Williams, & Fong, 2002) differs as a function of whether individuals' high self-esteem is secure or fragile. Our findings indicated that individuals whose self-esteem was stable, not contingent, or congruent with high implicit self-esteem exhibited especially low amounts of verbal defensiveness. In contrast, verbal defensiveness was considerably higher when individuals' high self-esteem was unstable, contingent, or paired with discrepant low implicit self-esteem. Discussion centers on why the possession of well-anchored and secure high self-esteem obviates defensiveness directed toward enhancing, maintaining, or bolstering feelings of self-worth. Author Affiliation: (1)University of Georgia Article note: Address correspondence to Michael Kernis, Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602. E-mail: mkernis@uga.edu.

Background: A well-established gender-differentiated association between acculturation and current smoking exists among Latino adults. There are far fewer studies on the potential influence of acculturation on smoking cessation, and extant findings are mixed.Purpose: Using a multidimensional measure of acculturation, the current study examined the independent and interactive associations of gender and acculturation with smoking cessation among Mexican American smokers engaged in a quit attempt.Methods: Using a latent variable modeling approach to repeated measures analysis, the independent and interaction effects of acculturation in two cultural directions (American and Mexican) were examined for their prospective associations with smoking abstinence. Interactions of acculturation domains with gender were also examined. Acculturation was assessed at baseline and abstinence status was assessed at 3 and 26 weeks post-quit.Results: The interaction of American and Mexican cultural identity was significantly associated with smoking abstinence, such that greater American cultural identity was positively associated with abstinence only among those with high Mexican cultural identity. The interaction of English proficiency with gender was significant such that English proficiency was positively associated with abstinence among men but not women.Conclusions: Findings in the cultural identity domain are consistent with a "benefits of biculturalism" perspective, and may be particularly relevant to the adoption of an American cultural orientation among persons with an already-strong heritage-culture orientation. Findings also replicate a gender-differentiated association between acculturation and cessation. Implications for treatment development and future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]