ABSTRACT
This study examined the relationships between adolescents' physiological sensations of smoking during initiation and early experience. For a national sample of a birth cohort of 2,043 adolescents, ages 15 to 22 years at the follow-up, variables of interest included measures of smoking behavior and physiological sensations reported from the initial smoking experience. Analysis showed that adolescents experimenting with smoking were more likely to become regular smokers over three years if they indicated that they felt relaxed, felt dizzy, did not feel sick, and did not cough during the initial smoking experience. Antismoking interventions may impede the transition to regular smoking by helping adolescents interpret the physiological sensations as negative and unhealthy.
Subject(s)
Arousal , Motivation , Smoking/psychology , Adolescent , Adult , Cohort Studies , Female , Health Behavior , Humans , MaleABSTRACT
This study examined developmental influences of beliefs and attitudes on adolescents' smoking. A national sample (N = 6,900) of adolescents ages 14 to 18 was selected. Data included measures of smoking behavior, beliefs, and attitudes. Although odds ratios show that attitudes and beliefs are predictive of adolescents' smoking status across the ages of 14 to 18 years, no systematic change of the prediction is evident, which contrasts with the psychological developmental model.
Subject(s)
Attitude to Health , Personality Development , Smoking/psychology , Adolescent , Female , Humans , Male , Odds Ratio , Smoking Prevention , Social EnvironmentABSTRACT
Using data collected by the National Center for Health Statistics, we examined the relationships between smoking-related beliefs and attitudes and smoking status for a sample of adolescents (N = 3,198) from southern states. Stepwise logistic regression was used to identify the best predictors of smoking prevalence. Results indicated that 8 of 13 variables in the logistic model significantly differentiated between smokers and nonsmokers. Smokers were more likely to believe that it is safe to smoke for only a year or 2 and that smoking helps reduce stress and boredom while promoting relaxation. Smokers also reported a higher tolerance than nonsmokers for being around other smokers, and reported their parents would not mind their smoking. The logistic model attained a predictive accuracy of 93.2%. The implication of these findings is that if smoking interventions targeted at adolescents address smoking-related beliefs and attitudes, there is an enhanced likelihood that such interventions will positively influence the smoking behavior of southern adolescents.
