Recruiting

ST & ABR

Sponsor:

University of Houston

Code:

NCT07025772

Conditions

ST+ABR

ST+SHAM

ST-only

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

ST+ABR

ST+Sham

ST Only

Study Details

Brief summary:

The present investigation aims to assess the efficacy of an innovative and novel smoking cessation intervention that integrates approach bias retraining (ABR) and standard smoking cessation treatment (ST). Participants will be randomized to either: (1) standard smoking cessation treatment and approach bias retraining (ST+ABR); (2) ST+Sham; or (3) ST-only.

Conditions

ST+ABR

ST+SHAM

ST-only

Study ID

NCT07025772

Start date

Mar 24, 2026

Status verified date

Apr, 2026

Completion date

Feb 1, 2029

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Nov 1, 2028

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • At least 18 years of age
  • Ability to speak English fluently
  • Ability to read English fluently
  • Ability to write in English fluently
  • Biochemical verification of self-reported smoking status following minimum study specified smoking rate endorsement
  • Motivated to quit smoking
  • Willing to attend in-person visits
  • Provide written informed consent, accepting study inclusion criteria and the randomized group assignment
  • English literacy of 7th grade or higher, as indicated by a score of 4 or greater on the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine-Short Form (REALM-SF)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Having used an e-cigarette in the past 3 months
  • Having initiated any mental health therapy or pharmacotherapy within the past 3 months
  • Being currently in therapy for substance abuse (including nicotine dependence)
  • Being currently enrolled in any other studies at the RESTORE lab to help quit smoking
  • Currently using any NRT or psychotherapy products for nicotine cessation
  • Currently using Bupropion as a smoking cessation aid and antidepressant
  • Currently pregnant or planning to become pregnant
  • Having high blood pressure that is not under control
  • Having a heart attack within the past 2 weeks
  • Having Visual impairments
  • Hand-motoric impairments
  • Currently suicidal or high suicide risk or current or past psychotic disorders of any type, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, anorexia, bulimia assessed using the Mini Neuropsychiatric Interview
  • Cognitive impairment, verified via a score of ≥8 on the Six-Item Cognitive Impairment Test (6-CIT)

Study Design

Enrollment

300 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: ST+ABR

ST+ABR is the combination of standard treatment (cognitive behavioral therapy \[CBT\]+ nicotine replacement therapy \[NRT\]) for smoking cessation based on the most recent clinical practice guideline from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Treating Tobacco Use And Dependence and computerized Approach Bias Retraining (ABR) for smoking cessation.

sham comparator: ST+Sham

ST+Sham is the combination of standard treatment (CBT+NRT) for smoking cessation based on the most recent clinical practice guideline from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Treating Tobacco Use And Dependence and computerized Sham (Control) training.

other: ST Only

ST Only will consist of standard treatment (CBT+NRT) for smoking cessation, based on the most recent clinical practice guideline from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Treating Tobacco Use And Dependence.

Interventions

ST+ABR

ST+ABR participants will complete seven weekly sessions of 15 minutes of computerized training (ABR), followed by a 45-minute session of standard smoking cessation treatment (CBT+NRT). Participants will be instructed to pull or push a joystick depending on the tilt, which will be positive-related or smoking-related images.

ST+Sham

ST+Sham participants will complete seven weekly sessions of 15 minute computerized control sessions (AAT), followed by a 45-minute session of standard smoking cessation treatment (CBT+NRT). Participants will be instructed to pull or push a joystick depending on the tilt, which will be positive-related or smoking-related images.

ST Only

ST Only will consist of 7 weekly 45-minute sessions of standard treatment (CBT+NRT) for smoking cessation.

Primary outcome measure

  • 7-day Biochemically Verified Point Prevalence Abstinence (PPA) [ Time Frame: 1-week, 2-week, 3-week post-quit, and 1-, 3-, and 6-month follow-ups ]
  • Prolonged Abstinence (PA) [ Time Frame: 3-week post-quit, 1-, 3-, and 6-month follow-ups ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Lorra Garey, PhD

713-743-8056llgarey@central.uh.edu

Ashley Ruiz, B.S.

713-743-8056alruiz3@central.uh.edu

Locations

RESTORE Laboratory: Research on Emotion, Substance Use Treatment Outcomes, Rehabilitation, and Empowerment

Recruiting

Houston, Texas, United States, 77004

Contacts

Lorra Garey, PhD

713-743-8056llgarey@central.uh.edu

Ashley Ruiz, BS

713-743-8056alruiz3@central.uh.edu

Principal Investigator:

Lorra Garey, PhD

More Information

Sponsor

University of Houston

Last update posted

Apr 17, 2026

Last verified

Apr, 2026

Keywords

  • Approach bias retraining
  • smoking cessation
  • cognitive retraining

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-09. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by University of Houston on 2026-04-17.