Abstract :
Background and Objective: Cognitive dysfunction may be an important factor in smoking and nicotine abuse. However, there are very few studies that have examined the effects of psychiatric conditions on the cognitive flexibility of smokers. This research was conducted to examine cognitive flexibility (perceived controllability and cognitive alternatives) among smokers with social anxiety. Materials and Methods: The present causal-comparative study was conducted on 60 smoker students studying at Arak University, Arak, Iran, in 2018-2019. The study participants were selected using the purposive sampling technique. At first, the participants completed the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN) and Cognitive Flexibility Inventory. Then, based on the cutoff point scores of SPIN (19≤), the participants were divided into two groups of smokers with and without social anxiety (n=30 in each group). Finally, these groups were compared in terms of perceived controllability and cognitive alternatives using the multivariate analysis of variance. Results: The results indicated a significant difference in the linear combination of the dependent variables in the two groups (Wilks’ lambda=0.799, F50,2=6.726, P=0.004). The results of the univariate analysis of variance indicated that the smoker group with social anxiety had lower perceived controllability and cognitive alternatives, compared to the smoker group without social anxiety. Conclusion: As the findings indicated, the level of cognitive flexibility in the smokers with and without social anxiety was different. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the evaluation and treatment of cognitive deficits in smokers based on their level of social anxiety.
