The association between probable personality disorders and smoking cessation and maintenance

Introduction Although it has been suggested that persons with psychopathological disorders experience greater difficulty in quitting smoking, the few studies that have analyzed personality disorders in smokers have failed to produce conclusive results. The aim of this study was to examine whether the presence of probable personality disorders was associated with the achievement of abstinence at the end of a smoking cessation treatment, as well as the maintenance of abstinence at 6 and 12 months of follow-up. Methods The sample comprised 290 smokers (41% men and 59% women) who participated in a psychological smoking cessation treatment and who were followed for a year. Abstinence was tested by measuring carbon monoxide in exhaled air. Results Participants with a probable borderline, antisocial or avoidant personality disorder were less likely to quit smoking at the end of the treatment, whereas probable schizoid personality disorder predicted better maintenance of abstinence at 6 and 12 months. In addition, smoking 25 or more cigarettes before starting the treatment decreased the likelihood of maintaining abstinence at 6 and 12 months of follow-up. Conclusions This study revealed differential (and opposing) relationships between specific personality disorders and smoking cessation outcomes, illustrating the need to consider Axis II disorders separately when predicting treatment outcomes.