Perceived stress, quitting smoking, and smoking relapse.

Assessed perceptions of stress prior to quitting smoking and at 1, 3, and 6 mo after quitting in 211 Ss. Analyses provide evidence for a relation between changes in stress levels and changes in smoking status. Ss who failed to quit smoking for more than 24 hrs maintained a relatively high and consistent level of stress over the 6-mo period. For continuously abstinent Ss, stress decreased as duration of abstinence increased. Increased stress with relapse was found across all time periods, and decreased stress after quitting was observed at 2 time periods. The relationship between smoking and stress may be bidirectional.