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Smoking-related prospective memory deficits observed on naturalistic everyday memory task

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 March 2013

T. M. Heffernan ,
T. S. O'Neill  and
M. Moss
T. M. Heffernan*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Collaboration for Drug and Alcohol Research (CDAR), Northumbria University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
T. S. O'Neill
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Collaboration for Drug and Alcohol Research (CDAR), Northumbria University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
M. Moss
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Collaboration for Drug and Alcohol Research (CDAR), Northumbria University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
*
*Address for correspondence: T. M. Heffernan, Department of Psychology, Collaboration for Drug and Alcohol Research (CDAR), Northumbria University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 8ST, UK. (Email [email protected])
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Abstract

Objective

This study assessed self-reported and objective prospective memory (PM) processes in smokers and a never-smoked comparison group. If persistent smoking does impair PM, then one would expect smokers recall being lower on a study that requires them to remember everyday activities when compared with a never-smoked group.

Method

An existing-groups design was used to compare a group of smokers with a never-smoked group on the self-report Prospective Memory Questionnaire (PMQ) and the Prospective Remembering Video Procedure (PRVP) measuring objective PM. An example of the location–action combination from the PRVP is ‘At Thornton's shop’ (location), ‘Buy a bag of sweets’ (action). Participants who reported using an illegal substance (e.g. ecstasy, cannabis), who drank excessively or were ‘binge drinkers’, or who reported suffering from a clinical condition, such as depression, were excluded from the study. Age, weekly ‘safe levels’ alcohol use, and strategy use were also measured and controlled for in the study. Each person was tested individually in a quiet laboratory setting on a university campus.

Results

After controlling for variations in age, weekly alcohol use, and strategy use, smokers recalled significantly fewer location–action combinations on the PRVP when compared with a never-smoked group, with no between-group differences on self-reported PM as measured by the PMQ.

Conclusions

The findings suggest objective PM deficits are associated with persistent smoking – a relatively unexplored area of research. This cannot be attributed to other drug use, mood, or strategy use. The findings also suggest smokers lack self-awareness of such PM deficits. This study extends the area by utilising a more naturalistic object measure of PM and incorporating strict controls into the study.

Keywords

PMQprospective memoryPRVPsmoking
Type
Original Research
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 30 , Issue 1 , March 2013 , pp. 21 - 27
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013

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