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Smoke into Sound: A pilot randomised controlled trial of a music cravings management program for chronic smokers attempting to quit

Chronic smokers display greater cravings and higher dependence on nicotine than smokers who successfully quit, which indicates a need for novel interventions that address cravings. Smoke into Sound is an online interactive program that uses personalised music-listening to assist participants to manage emotional states and cravings that act as cues for their smoking. This study describes a pilot randomised trial of Smoke into Sound (MUSIC) in comparison to current best practice cognitive behaviour therapy programs delivered online and by telephone (CBTE) or by telephone only (CBTT). Participants were 55 chronic smokers aged 18 to 66 years (45% females) who completed an online questionnaire before being randomly assigned to one of the three conditions: MUSIC, CBTE or CBTT. The 38 participants remaining 6 weeks later completed a post-program online questionnaire to assess smoking status; craving strength; self-efficacy for cessation; and confidence in regulating emotions without smoking. Almost half (45%) of the sample had stopped smoking at the post-program assessment, with similar proportions of participants in each condition no longer smoking. Participants in the MUSIC and CBTE conditions had greater reductions in craving strength and improvements in emotion regulation than those in the CBTT. The findings indicate that chronic smokers responded equally well to the music emotion regulation strategies as to the CBT strategies for smoking cessation. Smoke into Sound is the first program to our knowledge that applies music psychology theory to an intervention for addictive behaviour.