Nelson F. Smith

Stages of acquisition and cessation for adolescent smoking: an empirical integration.

Adolescent cigarette smoking acquisition and cessation were integrated into a single nine-stages-of-change continuum using the transtheoretical model of change framework. Findings in a high school student sample (n > 700) showed that a few of the never smokers were planning to try smoking, and half of the current smokers were contemplating quitting. More than half of former smokers were long-term quitters. The high pros of smoking scores assessing coping benefits of cigarettes were related to smoking acquisition and the high con (disadvantages) scores to long-term abstinence. Never smokers were most tempted to try smoking when they anticipated that smoking would help reduce negative and increase positive mood. Current and former smokers were tempted due to peer cigarette offers and negative mood. These temptations were significantly reduced among ex-smokers.

Computer-based smoking cessation interventions in adolescents: description, feasibility, and six-month follow-up findings.

The impact of adolescent smoking cessation clinics has been disappointing due to low participation rates, high attrition, and low quit rates. This paper describes two computerized self-help adolescent smoking cessation intervention programs: 1) a program utilizing the expert system which is based on the transtheoretical model of change and 2) a popular action-oriented smoking cessation clinic program for teens which was modified for computer presentation. High participation rates in the program among 132 smokers demonstrate the high feasibility and acceptability of the programs. Quit rates of up to 20% were observed during the intervention, and an additional 30% made unsuccessful quit attempt(s). The 6-month follow-up findings indicated that adolescents were poorly prepared to maintain abstinence.

Naloxone antagonism of conditioned hyperthermia: an evidence for release of endogenous opioid.

Abstract Morphine-induced hyperthermia was conditioned to environmental stimuli by pairing each injection (10 mg/kg) with the smell of anise oil. After 39 pairings the smell itself acquired a conditional property of eliciting hyperthermia which was antagonized by naloxone.

Acquisition and Extinction of a Conditioned Hyperthermic Response to a Tone Paired with Morphine Administration

Following a 7-day baseline period, five male hooded rats were injected daily with a constant dose (20 mg/kg) of morphine sulfate. Immediately following the injections they were taken to a sound-attenuated room and exposed to a 5,000 cps tone for 90 min. On certain predetermined days of the morphine treatment, rectal temperatures were measured before each injection and 30 min following the onset of the tone. Also, after the 11th, 19th, and 57th morphine-tone pairing, the rectal temperatures were measured before and after a saline injection which was paired with tone. On these days tone presentations by themselves were sufficient to cause a reliable increase in rectal temperature resembling that seen following an injection of morphine. When tone presentations were continued, without further pairing with morphine, the hyperthermic response to the tone was gradually extinguished. However, a significant increase in rectal temperature in response to the tone was again observed following a second set of five morphine-tone pairings.

Fear reduction in rats through avoidance blocking

Abstract Rats trained to avoid an electric shock in an alley were divided into two groups depending on their behavior during 25 min of response blocking. Subjects demonstrating exploratory behavior while blocked were put in one group, while subjects demonstrating agitation, freezing or grooming were placed in another. Fear measures, when subsequently exposed to the CS. were taken on experimental subjects and compared to controls. The results confirmed the hypothesis that response blocking can lead to fear reduction and that the fear reduction is related to the behavior of the subject during blocking.

Remote-control aversive stimulation in the treatment of head-banging in a retarded child

Abstract Response-contingent shock has been demonstrated to reduce the rate of head- banging, but poor generalization has frequently resulted. The treatment of a profoundly retarded, head-banging child demonstrated similar problems with generalization when stationary shock equipment was used but remote-control apparatus was able to overcome generalization problems and reduce head-banging to zero.

The effect of three procedures for eliminating a conditioned taste aversion in the rat

Abstract Although extinction procedures have been the most common techniques used to eliminate conditioned taste aversions, several studies have employed postconditioning exposure to the US instead. To date, a comparison of the effectiveness of these two techniques has not been possible, because there were differences in the conditioning phases of these studies. In the present study, after an aversion to saccharin had been established, rats were administered 1, 5, or 10 extinction trials, 1, 5, or 10 postconditioning exposures to the US, or a period of no treatment. Then, all rats received seven two-bottle extinction tests. Five or ten extinction trials reduced the aversion to saccharin most effectively. Five or ten postconditioning presentations of the US were also effective. However, this effect was not noticeable until the fourth of seven test trials, suggesting an elimination procedure-test trials interaction. Neither the extinction nor the US postexposure procedure completely eliminated the aversion. In addition: (i) a single postconditioning exposure to either the CS or the US was ineffective in attenuating the aversion; and (ii) when no postconditioning treatment was administered, the strength of the aversion was undiminished for 20 days.

A direct comparison of four methods for eliminating a response

Abstract Thirty-two rats pressed one lever (lever A) on a VI 30-sec schedule of food reinforcement and were then shifted to one of four procedures for eliminating the lever A response: extinction, differential reinforcement of other behavior, reinforcement of a different response (pole pushing), and reinforcement of a similar response (pressing lever B). Effectiveness of a response-elimination procedure was measured by (1) how quickly lever A response rate fell to a low level when the procedure was in effect, (2) how much lever A responding recovered when the procedure was discontinued, and (3) how resistant lever A responding was to reinstatement when the VI reinforcement schedule was reimposed. No one method was superior by all three measures. Extinction produced the most variable behavior, while differential reinforcement of other behavior produced the least. Reinforcing alternative behavior produced the greatest recovery in the original lever A response when the response-elimination procedure was discontinued.

Rate-dependency and hyperactivity: Methylphenidate effects on operant responding

The two most common treatment for hyperactivity are psychopharmacological regimens and behavior therapy. Although the concurrent use of stimulant medication has been purported to enhance a childs rate of responding under a behavior management program, studies examining the interaction of the two treatments have been unable to confirm this hypothesis. The present investigation sought to examine the effects of differing levels of methylphenidate hydrochloride (Ritalin) upon operant responding with hyperactive children. After an initial drug-free training period, 10 first through fourth grade hyperactive males performed an operant key-pressing task under a mult VR 5 FI 30 sec reinforcement schedule across four randomly determined, double-blind drug conditions (placebo, 5, 10, 15 mg). Only VR responding changed significantly during medication conditions; however, rate-dependent psychostimulant effects were found within both reinforcement schedules. Discrepancies with animal rate-dependency and implications for treatment and future research are discussed. Medication effects on operant responding appear to depend upon the reinforcement schedule and dose employed.

RETENTION OF MASSED VS DISTRIBUTED RESPONSE-PREVENTION TREATMENTS IN RATS AND A REVISED TRAINING PROCEDURE

Two experiments were conducted to estimate the retention of response-prevention effects using massed vs distributed treatments in a model of animal avoidance-learning. In Exp. I, 120 rats were trained to avoid shock in a one-way platform avoidance apparatus. Groups received response-prevention treatment or nontreatment in a 36-min. massed session or in several sessions distributed over a four-day period. In Exp. II, 160 rats were given two trials of escape training in a one-way shuttle box. Groups received response-prevention treatment or nontreatment in a 24-min. session of massed or distributed treatments delivered in one day. Subjects in both studies were tested using a passive-avoidance paradigm immediately following treatment, 24 hours later, and 30 days later. Analysis showed that response-prevention treatments were effective in reducing avoidance behavior and there were no significant differences in retention of avoidance associated with massed vs distributed response-prevention treatments. Implications for animals and humans are discussed, and researchers are encouraged to change from a criterion training procedure to an escape procedure since the latter is a closer analogue to the human condition.