Social contingencies and college quit and win contest: a qualitative inquiry.

Objectives: To investigate the social contingencies associated with participation in a college Quit and Win contest to promote smoking cessation. Methods: Six focus groups (N = 27) were conducted with college students who participated in a Quit and Win research trial. Results: Themes included: (1) participants reluctant to disclose quit decision; (2) perception of little support in their quit attempt, and (3) the social environment as a trigger for relapse. Conclusions: Although Quit and Win contests appear to motivate an initial quit attempt, the reluctance of smokers to disclose their quit attempt limits the potential positive impact of social support when utilizing this public service campaign.