The Fagerstrom test for nicotine dependence and its relationship to NRT use and readiness‐to‐quit

Abstract

Scores on the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence are used as a basis for recommending nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) as an aid to smoking cessation on a number of commercial websites. This study investigated (a) whether dependence on nicotine per se was necessary to score highly on the FTND and (b) whether successful quitters using NRT, with matched scores on the FTND, would report greater difficulty in stopping than successful quitters not using NRT. The paper reports a study with two inter‐related parts. In the first part, 24 smokers and 24 never‐smokers completed the FTND. The never‐smokers were asked to respond as if they were smokers. No significant differences were found between groups either at the total or individual‐item level, suggesting that results can derive from motivated or strategic responding. In part 2, 28 ex‐smokers were matched for age, gender, and FTND scores. Half had used NRT (nicotine patches) and half had not. NRT users reported that smoking was subjectively harder to give up (p<0.05). There was a general attribution across both NRT and non‐NRT groups to internal psychological factors being important for cessation. It is suggested that both high‐dependent scores on the FTND and NRT use are consequences of common motivation and a general ‘readiness to quit’.

• Fagerstom Test
• nicotine dependence
• NRT
• readiness‐to‐quit

Notes

1. It is interesting to note that The Royal College of Physicians Report, Nicotine Addiction in Britain (2000) has abbreviated ‘All others’ to simply ‘Others’ (see page 76, table 3.2), which may perhaps add some clarification on this point.