Study of the relationship between anxiety sensitivity, smoking abstinence expectancies, nicotine withdrawal, and cigarette dependence among daily smokers

Introduction: Anxiety sensitivity (AS) is the fear of anxiety symptoms related to physical, cognitive, and social concerns. AS has been implicated in amplifying negative emotional states and maintaining smoking behavior. Aims: The current cross-sectional study evaluated the lower-order facets of AS (Physical, Cognitive, Social concerns) in relation to current nicotine withdrawal symptoms, short-term consequences of abstaining from smoking, and cigarette dependence. Methods: 331 adult Italian smokers were recruited from the general population and asked to fill in scales assessing AS, nicotine withdrawal symptoms, and cigarette dependence. Results: All ASI-3 subscales were associated with psychological symptoms of nicotine abstinence (beta = 0.30-0.10; p >= 0.001), whereas ASI-3 physical concerns (beta = 0.62; p >= 0.001) and ASI-3 cognitive concerns (beta = 0.25; p >= 0.001) were associated with physical symptoms of nicotine abstinence. No ASI-3 subscales were associated with short-term smoking abstinence expectancies. ASI-3 physical concerns (beta = 0.72; p >= 0.001) and ASI-3 cognitive concerns (beta = 0.25; p >= 0.001) were associated with cigarette dependence. Discussion: ASI-3 physical concerns and ASI-3 cognitive concerns could amplify withdrawal-related factors, thereby increasing the negative reinforcement processes which might motivate smoking.