Anxiety-Related Constructs and Smoking Outcome Expectancies Among Latinx Smokers

• Published in: Experimental and clinical psychopharmacology 2023-10, Vol.31 (5), p.942-952
• Main Authors: Zvolensky, Michael J., Shepherd, Justin M., Clausen, Bryce K., Garey, Lorra, Redmond, Brooke Y., Brown, Richard A., Bogiaizian, Daniel, Salazar, Patricio López, Viana, Andres G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Anxiety; Anxiety Disorders; Anxiety Disorders - psychology; Anxiety Sensitivity; Expectations; Female; Hispanic or Latino - psychology; Human; Humans; Latinos/Latinas; Male; Middle Aged; Outcome Expectancies; Smokers - psychology; Smoking - epidemiology; Smoking - psychology; Symptoms; Tobacco Smoking; United States - epidemiology; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1064-1297; 1936-2293; 1936-2293
• DOI: 10.1037/pha0000625

Hispanic/Latinx (hereafter Latinx) smokers in the United States (US) experience unique smoking cessation-related challenges. Smoking outcome expectancies (i.e., positive and negative beliefs about the consequences of smoking behavior) have been linked to the maintenance of smoking and comorbidity with negative emotional states such as anxiety among Latinx smokers. However, past work has not characterized rates of probable anxiety disorder and elevated levels of anxiety sensitivity among English-speaking daily Latinx smokers from the United States or concurrently evaluated the explanatory relevance of anxiety symptoms and anxiety sensitivity for negative and positive smoking outcome expectancies. The present investigation sought to (a) determine the base rate of probable anxiety disorder and elevated anxiety sensitivity and (b) explore the unique roles of anxiety symptoms and anxiety sensitivity in relation to negative and positive smoking outcome expectancies. Participants included 338 English-speaking Latinx adult daily cigarette smokers from the United States (Mage = 35.53 years; SD = 8.65; age range 18-61; 37.3% female). Findings revealed high rates of probable anxiety disorder (50.9%) and elevated anxiety sensitivity (73.4%) among English-speaking Latinx smokers from the United States. Anxiety sensitivity, but not anxiety symptoms or disorders, was significantly related to negative consequences, negative reinforcement, positive reinforcement, and appetite/weight control smoking outcome expectancies. Overall, anxiety experiences were common among Latinx smokers, and anxiety sensitivity was a relatively more consistent and robust predictor of negative and positive outcome expectancies relative to anxiety symptoms and probable anxiety disorder. Public Health Significance This study underscores the strong link between smoking, anxiety, and anxiety sensitivity, particularly among Latinx individuals. High levels of anxiety sensitivity correspond to smokers' outcome expectancies, which may inform their attitude about quitting smoking.