Modeling Stress-precipitated Vaping Behavior

Clemson University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Vaping

Treatments: Other: Control task and Trier Social Stress Task

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04522362

17-0498

Details and patient eligibility

About

The primary aims of this pilot study were to (1) initially validate the applicability of a human laboratory model of relapse initially developed for smokers to e-cigarette users; (2) to use this human laboratory model of lapse behavior to examine the effects of acute psychological stress on vaping-lapse behavior among adults who are experienced, e-cigarette users.

Enrollment: 51 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• at least 18 years old
• e-cigarette users
• using ≥1 mL of e-cigarette liquid per day with a nicotine concentration of ≥3mg/ml
• had used an e-cigarette for at least three months

Exclusion criteria

• Current smokers
• Psychiatric or medical condition based
• Using a prescription medication other than birth control

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

---

51 participants in 2 patient groups

Control task-

Sham Comparator group

Description:

The Control Task was implemented to ensure the specificity of the psychological stress effects had on study outcomes. Therefore, the Control Task had a similar procedure and the same duration of the TSST, lacking except for only the psychologically stressful component. The control task consisted of (a) Participants had a 5-min a preparation section and anticipation phase (5 min ), (b) a reading task where they had to. Then, all participants had to be read a simple text in a low voice (5 min), and (c) an arithmetic section where they were asked to perform an easy mathematical calculation (5 mins).

Treatment:

Other: Control task and Trier Social Stress Task

Experimental Task- Trier Social Stress Task

Experimental group

Description:

The Trier Social Stress Task (TSST) is a standardized, 15-minute laboratory task designed to induce psychological stress in laboratory settings (Kirschbaum, Pirke, \& Hellhammer, 1993). The TSST consists of three continuously successive phases: (a) an anticipation period (5 min); (b) a free speech task (5 min); and (c) a mental arithmetic task (5 min). As is standard in the TSST procedure, participants were told by a research staff member that they would provide a brief speech about "their dream job" in front of a critical audience. At the end of the speech, a member of the audience instructed the participant to conduct serial subtractions as accurately and quickly as possible.

Treatment:

Other: Control task and Trier Social Stress Task