Boredom susceptibility and smoking cessation outcomes: sex differences

Abstract

Among the smoking motives, boredom relief is one of the most reported by smokers. The tendency to experience boredom has been proposed as a personality trait related to addictive behaviors and other variables such as depression or the perception of environmental reward. Differences in boredom susceptibility have also been observed among men and women. However, so far, there have been few studies investigating the differential impact of boredom susceptibility on both sexes regarding smoking outcomes. The aim of the present study was to analyze the relationship between boredom susceptibility, depressive symptoms, and environmental reward, and the influence of boredom susceptibility separately in men and women on smoking outcomes at 6- and 12-month follow-ups. Our sample was composed of 210 smokers seeking psychological treatment to quit smoking. Results showed that boredom susceptibility was not significantly related to depressive symptoms, but it showed a significant association with a lower perception of environmental reward. Boredom susceptibility was a significant predictor of smoking outcomes in men at the 6- and 12-month follow-ups, whereas in women, this construct was not a significant predictor. These findings support the need to consider sex and personality differences in smoking cessation treatments in order to increase their effectiveness.