Frequently Asked Questions
As a study participant, how will I be compensated?
You will receive cash at the end of the third session for participating in this study. You will also receive 8 weeks of free nicotine transdermal patches which are valued at approximately $200. The study also provides you with free weekly phone therapy from a doctoral-level student therapist, as well as a medical report detailing the results of all your assessments.
Why do participants need to be heterosexual?
Sexual orientation and sexual identity are sensitive topics and we treat these issues with respect and sensitivity. However, we understand that our study criteria may offend some individuals, as being heterosexual has nothing to do with quitting smoking or the effectiveness of the patch. However, the reason that we are only recruiting heterosexual participants at this time is because the questionnaires that we use to assess sexual functioning in men has only been validated on straight men, and research unfortunately has not yet extended these results to gay and bisexual men. As a result, we only assess heterosexual men and therefore use heterosexual audio-visual stimuli to induce sexual arousal among our study participants.
Do all participants receive the exact same nicotine patch treatment?
Because this is a clinical study, the nicotine patch treatment needs to be generally standardized across participants. Additionally, because our study criteria entails being a heavy smoker, all participants will receive a similar treatment plan. The standard treatment plan in this study entails you using the 21mg patch for 4 weeks, then stepping down to a 14mg patch for 2 weeks, and then again stepping down to a 7mg patch for the final 2 weeks. However, treatment is given on a individual basis, and you will receive a treatment plan that fits with your current smoking status and smoking history in order to increase effectiveness and maintain your safety. However, treatment will not exceed 56 patches.
I'm not sure if I'm ready to quit smoking. Can I still participate?
We understand that individuals will be at varying stages of readiness to stop smoking. Although most interested participants are motivated to quit, not everyone is prepared and ready to quit. Therefore, if you are not sure if you are ready to quit smoking now or are unsure if you will be able to try your hardest to commit to our program, we ask that you contact us at a later time when you are ready.
I just want to quit smoking, why do I have to do a sexual health study?
Research shows that men who are heavy smokers have twice the rate of erectile dysfunction compared to nonsmokers. We are interested in whether quitting smoking reverses this process. That is, we are investigating whether smoking cessation increases sexual health. In order to see these potential health changes, patients receive an 8-week nicotine patch treatment plan.
Is this study safe and who is sponsoring this study?
This study is fully approved by the University of Texas at Austin Institutional Review Board, and therefore has met the highest standards for safety. The study is funded and approved by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, one of the agencies of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The study is conducted within the Sexual Psychophysiology Laboratory, under the supervision of Cindy Meston, Ph.D., which is within the Psychology Department at UT Austin.
Why is this study only recruiting men?
Extensive research indicates that smoking reduces male erectile functioning, however there is little research showing this in women. We are testing men as a first step to see if quitting smoking increases sexual functioning. If funding permits, we will extend the results to women.
How do you measure sexual arousal in the lab? Is it safe and is it private?
Because we are interested in measuring the physiological aspects of sexual function we would ask you to use a device called a penile plethysmograph or "strain gauge." This device consists of a hollow rubber tube, that is the size of a small rubber band, that fits around your penis. You will be in a locked private room and will never be observed. You would use this device only while you view an erotic video. A male researcher would explain how to use the device, and then you will be left in a private room where you can fit the device on your own. This device has been used in sexuality research for about 50 years and is safe and effective. Every gauge is cleaned with a hospital grade disinfectant after every use. The cleaning of these gauges and all lab materials is in accordance with the UT Austin's Environmental Health and Safety commission.
You will receive cash at the end of the third session for participating in this study. You will also receive 8 weeks of free nicotine transdermal patches which are valued at approximately $200. The study also provides you with free weekly phone therapy from a doctoral-level student therapist, as well as a medical report detailing the results of all your assessments.
Why do participants need to be heterosexual?
Sexual orientation and sexual identity are sensitive topics and we treat these issues with respect and sensitivity. However, we understand that our study criteria may offend some individuals, as being heterosexual has nothing to do with quitting smoking or the effectiveness of the patch. However, the reason that we are only recruiting heterosexual participants at this time is because the questionnaires that we use to assess sexual functioning in men has only been validated on straight men, and research unfortunately has not yet extended these results to gay and bisexual men. As a result, we only assess heterosexual men and therefore use heterosexual audio-visual stimuli to induce sexual arousal among our study participants.
Do all participants receive the exact same nicotine patch treatment?
Because this is a clinical study, the nicotine patch treatment needs to be generally standardized across participants. Additionally, because our study criteria entails being a heavy smoker, all participants will receive a similar treatment plan. The standard treatment plan in this study entails you using the 21mg patch for 4 weeks, then stepping down to a 14mg patch for 2 weeks, and then again stepping down to a 7mg patch for the final 2 weeks. However, treatment is given on a individual basis, and you will receive a treatment plan that fits with your current smoking status and smoking history in order to increase effectiveness and maintain your safety. However, treatment will not exceed 56 patches.
I'm not sure if I'm ready to quit smoking. Can I still participate?
We understand that individuals will be at varying stages of readiness to stop smoking. Although most interested participants are motivated to quit, not everyone is prepared and ready to quit. Therefore, if you are not sure if you are ready to quit smoking now or are unsure if you will be able to try your hardest to commit to our program, we ask that you contact us at a later time when you are ready.
I just want to quit smoking, why do I have to do a sexual health study?
Research shows that men who are heavy smokers have twice the rate of erectile dysfunction compared to nonsmokers. We are interested in whether quitting smoking reverses this process. That is, we are investigating whether smoking cessation increases sexual health. In order to see these potential health changes, patients receive an 8-week nicotine patch treatment plan.
Is this study safe and who is sponsoring this study?
This study is fully approved by the University of Texas at Austin Institutional Review Board, and therefore has met the highest standards for safety. The study is funded and approved by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, one of the agencies of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The study is conducted within the Sexual Psychophysiology Laboratory, under the supervision of Cindy Meston, Ph.D., which is within the Psychology Department at UT Austin.
Why is this study only recruiting men?
Extensive research indicates that smoking reduces male erectile functioning, however there is little research showing this in women. We are testing men as a first step to see if quitting smoking increases sexual functioning. If funding permits, we will extend the results to women.
How do you measure sexual arousal in the lab? Is it safe and is it private?
Because we are interested in measuring the physiological aspects of sexual function we would ask you to use a device called a penile plethysmograph or "strain gauge." This device consists of a hollow rubber tube, that is the size of a small rubber band, that fits around your penis. You will be in a locked private room and will never be observed. You would use this device only while you view an erotic video. A male researcher would explain how to use the device, and then you will be left in a private room where you can fit the device on your own. This device has been used in sexuality research for about 50 years and is safe and effective. Every gauge is cleaned with a hospital grade disinfectant after every use. The cleaning of these gauges and all lab materials is in accordance with the UT Austin's Environmental Health and Safety commission.
