BAPS in Botswana: The Thotloetso Trial

The main purpose of this research study is to compare traditional behavioral smoking cessation therapy with a different type of behavioral therapy-known as behavioral activation problem solving (BAPS)-for smoking cessation. Standard smoking cessation counseling (SC) focuses on self-monitoring, identifying smoking triggers and how to manage them, relaxation and social support for non-smoking, and relapse prevention. BAPS focuses on recognizing he feelings you are having that lead to smoking and how to overcome those feelings and focus on activities that discourage you from smoking and avoid activities that encourage you to smoke. Both counseling types include gathering information about your personal smoking patterns, your likes, dislikes, and other personal characteristics about your lifestyle. Half of participants who enroll in the study will receive standard smoking cessation counseling (SC) and half will receive BAPS counseling. We will compare the rates of quitting smoking across the two groups at the end of treatment (study week 10), and 12 weeks after the end of treatment (study week 26)