Comparison of the effectiveness of virtual cue exposure therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy for nicotine dependence

Previous studies have reported promising results regarding the effect of repeated virtual cue exposure therapy on nicotine dependence. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of virtual cue exposure therapy (CET) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for nicotine dependence. Thirty subjects with nicotine dependence participated in 4 weeks of treatment with either virtual CET (n=15) or CBT (n=15). All patients were male, and none received nicotine replacement treatment during the study period. The main setting of the CET used in this study was a virtual bar. The primary foci of the CBT offered were (a) smoking cessation education, (b) withdrawal symptoms, (c) coping with high-risk situations, (d) cognitive reconstruction, and (e) stress management. Daily smoking count, level of expiratory carbon monoxide (CO), level of nicotine dependence, withdrawal symptoms, and subjective craving were examined on three occasions: week 0 (baseline), week 4 (end of treatment), and week 12 (follow-up assessment). After treatment, the daily smoking count, the expiratory CO, and nicotine dependence levels had significantly decreased. These effects continued during the entire study period. Similar changes were observed in both virtual CET and CBT groups. We found no interaction between type of therapy and time of measurement. Although the current findings are preliminary, the present study provided evidence that virtual CET is effective for the treatment of nicotine dependence at a level comparable to CBT.