Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy and Behavioral Self‐Management in Smoking Cessation¹

The relative impacts on smoking behavior of restricted environmental stimulation therapy (REST), behavioral self‐management, and the combination were compared. Fifteen smokers from the community were treated in each of the three conditions and followed over a 12‐month period. The combined treatment was very successful compared to standard smoking interventions (a mean of 66% reduction from baseline smoking rate and 53% of subjects completely abstinent on the 1‐year follow‐up), and subjects in this group smoked significantly less than those in either the REST or behavioral self‐management only condition. Furthermore, subjects receiving REST, alone or in combination, were significantly less likely to relapse following treatment. The results were taken to support the importance of addressing multiple change objectives in smoking cessation programs.