APS
2026 APS Annual Convention · 2026
Linguistic Markers of Temporal Focus In Behaviour Change: Insights from a Smoking-Cessation Trial of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
- Parnian Rafei
Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin - Parnian Rafei
Trinity College Dublin - Judith Mildner
School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin - Jonathan Bricker
Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center - Jonathan Bricker
Department of Psychiatry, University of Washington - Claire Gillan
Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin - Claire Gillan
School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin
Abstract
This study examined whether temporal focus reflected in patients’ language during smoking-cessation counselling predicts long-term abstinence. Analysing ~330 calls, we found largely stable future- and present-focus, modest increases in past-focus, and only weak differences between eventual smokers and abstainers. Our findings warrant context-sensitive language models to test specific constructs.
