Cue-Exposure Therapy (CET) is considered an effective strategy to combat cigarette cravings and smoking relapses, but evidence is mixed. In this lab-based experimental study, we manipulated levels of realism for smoking scenarios in Virtual Environments (VE) and randomly exposed smokers and recent-quitters to one of two versions (low versus high realism) of these scenarios. Prior and after scenario exposure, valid measures of cigarette craving were obtained. Prior to exposure, we assessed nicotine dependence and smoking status (current smokers versus recent-quitter). Within-subject repeated measures analysis of covariance showed that there was an interaction of experimental condition with smoking status on cigarette craving. Amongst recent-quitters, high realistic scenarios produced stronger increases in craving than low realistic scenarios, but this effect was reversed in current smokers. It is concluded that VE technologies are a potentially relevant tool for smoking CET that warrant further exploration.

提示暴露疗法 (CET) 被认为是对抗香烟渴望和吸烟复发的有效策略，但证据好坏参半。在这项基于实验室的实验研究中，我们操纵了虚拟环境 (VE) 中吸烟场景的真实感水平，并将吸烟者和最近戒烟者随机暴露于这些场景的两个版本之一（低真实感与高真实感）。在情景暴露之前和之后，获得了对香烟渴望的有效测量。在接触之前，我们评估了尼古丁依赖和吸烟状况（当前吸烟者与最近戒烟者）。受试者内重复测量协方差分析表明，实验条件与吸烟状态对卷烟渴望存在交互作用。在最近戒烟者中，高现实情景比低现实情景产生的渴望增加更强，但这种影响在当前吸烟者中被逆转。得出的结论是，VE 技术是吸烟 CET 的潜在相关工具，值得进一步探索。