Behavioural support with multiplesessions of individual or group counselling aids smoking cessation.

There is no evidence suggesting a clear difference between individual and group-based counselling, so either may be offered. Both provide social support during the smoker's contact with a clinician (intra-treatment social support). From comparisons between studies, the components which are most likely to benefit smokers are support for problem solving and skills training. Whether contingency contracting, intervening to increase social support in the smoker's environment (extra-treatment social support), exercise, and aversive smoking are efficacious is unclear. As described below, combining behavioural and medication treatments increases efficacy. Unfortunately, many smokers do not seek face-to-face behavioural support.

Components of problem solving and skills training might include:

1. Identifying triggers to smoking. Smokers may routinely light up after a meal, when they are on the telephone, or when feeling stressed.
2. Making plans to avoid temptation to smoke, for example whether to avoid social situations with other smokers during the first period after quitting.
3. Interventions that help smokers obtain social support outside treatment have been recommended by previous guidelines, but systematic reviews of trials adding components intended to help smokers increase social support have not detected a significant effect on quitting.

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