Community Intervention Trial for Smoking Cessation: Development of the Intervention

INTRODUCTION The Community Intervention Trial for Smoking Cessation (COMMIT) intervention protocol was developed by collaborating trial investigators during a 24-month planning phase. To select the specific intervention methods included in the COMMIT protocol, the investigators used a wide variety of data from controlled and demonstration trials of smoking control strategies as well as advice from public health experts and their own experience in large-scale behavior change efforts. The protocol took into account several theoretical perspectives on health behavior change, including social learning theories (Bandura, 1977 and 1986; Abrams et al., 1986; Elder et al., 1986), persuasion models for communication and social influences (Bandura, 1977; Flay et al., 1983; McAlister et al., 1982; Rogers, 1973), the health belief model (Green et al., 1980; Rosenstock, 1974), action research models for community organization and innovation diffusion (Rothman, 1979; Grusky and Miller, 1981; Gusfield, 1962; Rogers and Shoemaker, 1971), and others.