Longitudinal and cross-sectional designs were used to examine the social environmental factors of adolescent adoption of smoking. Data included a national sample of nonsmoking adolescents (N=4,413, weighted N=11,692,570) who participated in the 1989 Teenage Attitudes and Practices Survey (TAPS) that were re-interviewed in 1993. Information obtained from these surveys included measures of smoking behavior and factors related to the respondents' social environment. Data were analyzed by Survey Data Analysis (SUDAAN) software. Results showed that the smoking behavior of best friends and adolescents’ own beliefs were consistent and significant predictors of adolescent smoking progress to more advanced stages of acquisition. In contrast, the smoking behavior of parents, siblings, and steady boy/girl friend was partially supported as significant predictors of adolescent smoking. This study, which overcame some of the limitations of previous studies, contributes additional information to the current smoking literature to further help smoking researchers understand the adolescents’ smoking acquisition process.
Learning Objectives: At the end of the session, the participants should be able to identify what factors that were associated with adolescents’ smoking progress, from nonsmoking status to experimental smoking, or from nonsmoking status to regular smoking, and be able to apply these findings information to smoking intervention programs
Keywords: Smoking, Adolescents
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.