High self-efficacy regarding smoking cessation may weaken the intention to quit smoking

Self-efficacy regarding the ability to stop smoking is considered a key factor for successful smoking cessation. However, research has found a weak link between self-efficacy and the intention to stop smoking. The present study aimed to gain a clearer understanding of this weak link, hypothesizing opposing effects of self-efficacy regarding the intention to quit. A representative sample of daily smokers in Switzerland (N = 362) completed a questionnaire. As expected, two opposing effects of self-efficacy were found: Self-efficacy was directly associated with the intention to quit, but self-efficacy was negatively linked to risk perception, resulting in a weakened intention to quit. This model explains the overall weak effect of self-efficacy on intention to quit. However, contrary to the hypotheses, dependence was not found to moderate the relationship between self-efficacy and intention to quit. Implications for interventions and future research are discussed.