Joystick training may boost smoking cessation success
NCT ID NCT03325777
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tested whether a computer joystick task that trains people to avoid smoking-related images can help them quit smoking when added to standard care. 96 daily smokers who wanted to quit participated. The training aimed to change automatic, unconscious tendencies to approach smoking cues. The main outcome was whether participants remained smoke-free at 3 months.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Approach Bias Retraining (computerized joystick task)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a simple, low-cost add-on to standard smoking cessation programs to improve quit rates.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study (96 participants) with no blinding, so results may not generalize. The training effect may be weak or short-lived.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
University of Texas at Austin
Austin, Texas, 78712, United States
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