Developing supporter-focused text messages to enhance cessation support for individuals with mental health conditions who smoke: A formative study.

IntroductionThis formative study aimed to develop and evaluate supporter-focused text messages intended to enhance helpful support behaviors and reduce counterproductive support behaviors in the context of smoking cessation.MethodsWe developed 65 messages informed by responsiveness theory and established research on cessation. One hundred and ninety six adults (eligibility: ≥18 years, knowing someone who smokes) rated the messages on three dimensions of helpfulness (i.e., clarity, usefulness, relevance). Using mixed-effects regression models, we examined whether helpfulness ratings differed by sociodemographic factors, relationship factors, and tobacco use perceptions.ResultsMean ratings ranged from 4.04 to 4.31/5. Compared with participants who reported knowing a spouse/partner who smoked, those who knew a friend (β̂= 0.34, SE = 0.16, 95% CI: 0.04 - 0.64), family member (β̂= 0.38, SE = 0.15, 95% CI: 0.07 - 0.67), or coworker/roommate (β̂= 0.56, SE = 0.22, 95% CI:0.14 - 0.98) provided relatively higher ratings. Greater perceived relationship closeness to the individual who smokes was positively associated with higher ratings (β̂= 0.08, SE = 0.03, 95% CI:0.03- 0.14).ConclusionThe high ratings suggest that potential support providers found the messages helpful and tailoring them to relationship characteristics might provide a small additional benefit.