Tobacco consumption, training, attitudes and knowledge of psychology professionals registered in Spain

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Background information

The psychological treatment of smoking is a cost-effective, dose-dependent intervention, although in our environment there are very few professionals of psychology who are sufficiently trained in everything and that the intervention on behaviour should be part of the intervention routine of any psychologist.

The attitudes, behaviour and skills of psychologists in Spain in relation to smoking are unknown and few studies of this type have been conducted in other countries. Before any action can be taken to encourage the significant involvement of psychologists in smoking interventions, it is necessary to know the attitudes, behaviour and knowledge of these professionals in this field.

Objectives of the study

The aim of this study is to consolidate a line of research that will allow the COP (General Council of Psychology in Spain to develop a cost-effective, evidence-based strategy to analyse the situation of smoking among members, both on a personal and collective level, and to analyse the training, knowledge and intervention that these professionals provide in the prevention and/or consumption of tobacco among their patients.

Secondarily, the aim is to increase the interest and participation of psychology professionals as a key and exemplary group in events, associations, training and/or publications on tobacco control in at least equal importance with other health professionals.

General objectives

  1. To assess the prevalence of smoking, as well as attitudes and knowledge in relation to tobacco, its legislation and smoking, among psychology professionals registered in Spain.
  2. Evaluate the professional practices of licensed psychologists in relation to tobacco control.
  3. Propose priority actions to advance in the implementation of psychological treatments in the field of smoking treatment in Spain.
  4. Propose information and training actions that increase interest and professional intervention in tobacco control.

Specific objectives

  1. To evaluate the current situation regarding consumption, cessation, knowledge, training, attitudes and practices in relation to smoking by psychology professionals in Spain.
  2. To analyse the main obstacles perceived by professionals in the sector that could be holding back systematic action in the control of smoking, both in prevention and in the treatment of smokers.
  3. Identify key indicators to evaluate and monitor, in the short, medium and long term, the impact of psychological actions in the treatment of smoking.
  4. To identify the needs for systematic evaluation and monitoring of key indicators for a coordinated and effective approach to the problem by Spanish psychologists.
  5. To make psychology professionals visible as the only professionals empowered to carry out or monitor the psychological treatment of smoking.
  6. Include tobacco use data from psychology professionals in different surveys of other health professionals.
  7. Repeat the study in order to check the possible change.

Methodology

The research will be divided into three Phases:

Phase I: Bibliographic review

Phase II: Field work

Selection of the sample by random sampling stratified by Professional Associations (without reinstatement of the rejections) among all the collegiate psychologists in Spain. The final sample will ideally be a representative sample of at least 1,000 members, waiting for 2,000 responses.

Data collection instrument: ad hoc remote questionnaire.

Phase III: Analysis and presentation of results

Schedule

Duration of 13 months. Start July 2018-Finish July 2019

Budget

17.550,00 €

Research team

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