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Coping Strategies and Perceived Stress in Pregnant Smokers Seeking Help for Cessation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2012

Isabelle Varescon ,
Shirley Leignel ,
Xavier Poulain  and
Caroline Gerard
Isabelle Varescon*
Affiliation:
Université Paris Descartes, Paris Sorbonne Cité, IUPDP, LPPS, Boulogne Billancourt, France. isabelle.varescon@parisdescartes.fr
Shirley Leignel
Affiliation:
Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire Corentin Celton, Université Paris Descartes, France.
Xavier Poulain
Affiliation:
Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire Corentin Celton, Issy les Moulineaux, France.
Caroline Gerard
Affiliation:
Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire Cochin-Saint-Vincent de Paul, Université Paris Descartes, France.
*
*Address for correspondence: Prof. Isabelle Varescon, Université Paris Descartes, Laboratoire de Psychopathologie et Processus de Santé (LPPS), Institut Universitaire Paris Descartes, 71 av. E. Vaillant, 92100 Boulogne Billancourt, France.
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Abstract

Despite substantial efforts to decrease its prevalence, it is estimated that more than 20% of French women continue to smoke during pregnancy. The aim of this study was to assess the perceived stress and coping strategies used by pregnant smokers when they seek help to stop smoking. Eighty pregnant women were involved. Pregnant women who stated their intention to quit smoking (n= 40) were compared with pregnant nonsmokers (n= 40). All participants filled out the Brief Cope (BC), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS). In addition to these self-report scales, pregnant smokers completed the Fagerström Tolerance Questionnaire (FTQ). The results show that pregnant women who smoked used less active coping, planning, and positive framing, considered a good adaptive strength, and had significantly elevated scores on perceived stress and anxiety scales than nonsmokers. This research is the first to provide Brief Cope results for pregnant smokers seeking help to stop smoking linked to perceived stress. The results obtained contribute to the well-known psychosocial factors in maintaining smoking during pregnancy and will be used in the implementation of more effective intervention programs among pregnant women.

Keywords

coping strategiesperceived stresspregnancysmoking cessation
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Smoking Cessation , Volume 6 , Issue 2 , 01 December 2011 , pp. 126 - 132
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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