The relationship between impaired decision-making, sensation seeking and readiness to change in cigarette smokers

Objective: The study investigated whether impaired decision-making as measured by the Gambling Task and Sensation Seeking, on one hand, and nicotine-dependence and readiness to change, on the other hand, show mutual influences in cigarette smokers. Methods: Cigarette smokers were classified as dependent or non-dependent smokers. Assessment included stages of change (RCQ), decisional balance (DBS), Sensation Seeking Scale Form-V (SSS-V), and performance on the Gambling Task (GT). Results: With the exception of a significant higher score in the SSS-V subscale Experience Seeking in dependent smokers, correlations between nicotine-dependence and cognitive features were not significant. The directions of the non-significant differences were not consistent. No significant relationship was found between the SSS-V and the GT, on one hand, and the readiness to change smoking behaviour, on the other hand. Conclusions: The results of the present study suggest that impaired performance on the GT and high scores in Sensation Seeking do not play an important role in nicotine-dependence and readiness to change smoking behaviour or vice versa.