Measuring Communal Coping in Dual-smoking Couples Making a Quit Attempt

Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, and quitting is especially difficult for couples who both smoke. When both partners smoke, they are less likely to quit successfully and more likely to relapse compared to people whose partner does not smoke. Research suggests that the way romantic partners interact and support each other during a quit attempt can make a real difference - but researchers do not yet know enough about what kinds of support actually help. This study examines a concept called "communal coping," which refers to when partners treat a shared health challenge - like quitting smoking - as something they are facing together as a team rather than as separate individuals. Researchers believe that couples who approach quitting this way may have better outcomes. To study this, researchers will ask both members of dual-smoking couples to complete brief daily surveys over two weeks while making a quit attempt. These surveys will track how partners support (or discourage) each other's quitting efforts on a day-to-day basis, along with cigarette use, cravings, and stress. This will help researchers understand which relationship patterns are most helpful for quitting, and identify specific targets for future couples-based smoking cessation programs.

NCT Number	NCT07553962
Lead Sponsor	University of Colorado, Denver Collaborators: University of Oklahoma
Conditions	Smoking (Tobacco) Addiction, Smoking ( Cigarette), Tobacco, Tobacco Abstinence, Quitting Smoking, Smoking Cessation
Enrollment	250 participants
Start Date	2025-03-20
Primary Completion	2026-08-01 (estimated)
Study Completion	2026-12-01 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-05-15