Anxiety Sensitivity and Cognitive-Based Smoking Processes: Testing the Mediating Role of Emotion Dysregulation Among Treatment-Seeking Daily Smokers

Abstract

The current study investigated whether emotion dysregulation (difficulties in the self-regulation of affective states) mediated relationships between anxiety sensitivity (fear of anxiety and related sensations) and cognitive-based smoking processes. Participants (n = 197; 57.5% male; mean age = 38.0 years) were daily smokers recruited as part of a randomized control trial for smoking cessation. Anxiety sensitivity was uniquely associated with all smoking processes. Moreover, emotion dysregulation significantly mediated relationships between anxiety sensitivity and the smoking processes. Findings suggest that emotion dysregulation is an important construct to consider in relationships between anxiety sensitivity and cognitive-based smoking processes among adult treatment-seeking smokers.

KEYWORDS:

• Anxiety sensitivity
• smoking
• emotion dysregulation
• expectancies

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a National Institute on Health grant awarded to Dr. Michael J. Zvolensky and Dr. Norman B. Schmidt (R01 MH076629-01A1). This work was also supported by a National Institute on Drug Abuse National Research Service Award (5 F31 DA026634-03) awarded to Kirsten A. Johnson. Please note that the funding source had no other role other than financial support.