Assessing Nicotine Dependence

Question 1

Describe the Heaviness of Smoking Index.

Answer 1

Has two of the six FTND questions

How soon after waking do you smoke your first cigarette?
3 = within five minutes
2 = 5-30 minutes
1 = 31-60 minutes
0 = 60+ minutes

How many cigarettes a day do you smoke?
3 = 31 or more
2 = 21-30
1 = 11-20
0 = 10 or less

Score: 1-2 very low dependence, 3 low-mod dependence, 4 mod dependence, 5+ high dependence

Question 2

Describe the Fagerstrom Test of Nicotine Dependence.

Answer 2

Self-report 6-item scale where individuals answer a series of questions producing a score between 0 and 10.

Validated and concise measure of tobacco dependence. Gold standard in assessing nicotine dependence

Does not discriminate well among low dependent smokers. Not a good predictor of withdrawal symptoms in individuals who have just quit nor a good predictor of smoking cessation

Question 3

Describe the Minnesota Nicotine Withdrawal Scale.

Answer 3

Interview-conducted self-report scale asks them to rate their experience from 0 (none) to 4 (severe)

AHS has a modified version called Assessment for Severity of Withdrawal Symptoms tool.

If moderate to severe depressed mood identified (3 or 4), complete PHQ-2

Question 4

Describe the AUTOS

Answer 4

Autonomy over smoking scale

12-item self-administered onsite meant

Includes subscales that measure physical dependence, psychological dependence, and cue-induced urges to smoke. Addresses some limitations of FTND

Can elicit why people who don’t meet diagnostic criteria for dependence can still fail when attempting to quit

Does not indicate how long recovering smokers remain psychologically dependent after their quit date or how long they continue to experience cue-induced urges to smoke

Question 5

Describe the HONC

Answer 5

Hooked On Nicotine Checklist

10-item self administered measure of dependence (loss of autonomy), produces a dependence score of 0 to 10

Better suited for use with individuals whose dependence is low