There are extensive investigations explaining smoking abstinence effect, yet little is known about the cognitive and metacognitive mechanisms that underlie the severity of smoking abstinence effects. Several studies reported that that problem-solving appraisal is associated with psychological maladaptive behaviors, such as depression, anxiety.

Examining the role of problem-solving appraisal as mediator, moderator and/or predictor of the severity of withdrawal symptoms and probably relapse.

Studying the role of problem-solving appraisal in the severity of smoking abstinence withdrawal symptoms.

The present study utilized a two-group pretest and posttest design to examine the mediating, moderating and predicting role of problem-appraisal of smoking-abstinence effects. A total of 92 adult men smokers were administered the problem-solving inventory (PSI-Ar) as well as several self-report measures of most reported smoking abstinence effects (pre-test), and then were asked to stop smoking for 48 h and administered again the same measures except the PSI-Ar (post-test).

The results revealed that problem-solving appraisal acts as a possible mediator and predictor but not moderator of the severity of smoking-abstinence effects. The individuals with who appraised themselves as ineffective problem solvers have shown more sever abstinence effects i.e. somatization, depression, general anxiety, panic, mood states, smoking urges, insomnia and habitual sleep duration.

Problem-solving appraisal plays a key role in severity of smoking-abstinence effects by means of mediating the relationship between abstinence effects before and after smoking abstinence. The findings are discussed in the context of future research and possible intervention recommendations.

The author has not supplied his declaration of competing interest.