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Beth R. Hoffman, MPH, Jennifer B. Unger, PhD, and Thomas W. Valente, PhD. Keck School of Medicine, Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California, 1000 South Fremont, Unit 8, Room 5237, Alhambra, CA 91803, (626) 457-4066, brh@usc.edu
Many people begin smoking in adolescence, and preventing or eliminating smoking by adolescents in middle and high school will drastically reduce the long-term problems associated with smoking. Peer pressure has long been thought to be the primary type of social influence affecting smoking in adolescents, but recent evidence indicates that peer selection is a factor as well. This study examines the roles of peer influence and peer selection in the relationship between friend and adolescent smoking. The relationship of gender and ethnicity to this model is discussed as well. Students in four middle schools in Southern California answered surveys in the fall of 7th grade and the fall of 8th grade. Measures included general survey items as well as social network measures of the five best friends in the current grade level. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the associations between adolescent smoking, friend smoking, and adolescent and friend ethnicity over the two time points. Three sets of analyses were conducted testing three hypotheses: both peer influence and peer selection influence adolescent smoking, ethnicity will influence the relationship between friend and adolescent smoking as well as affect the prevalence of smoking adolescents and friends (Whites will be more influenced by friend smoking than other groups), and gender will influence the relationship between adolescent and friend smoking; males will be more influenced by friend smoking than females. Results of the analyses and implications for adolescent tobacco prevention will be discussed.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, a participant will be able to
Keywords: Adolescent Health, Tobacco Control
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.