Comparing Tobacco Use Attitudes and Behaviors in Adolescent and Adult Tobacco Cessation Participants: Implications for Cessation

Purpose: To compare tobacco use attitudes and behaviors among adolescents and adults presenting for tobacco cessation and their impact on tobacco cessation. Background: The Off (Officially free from) Nicotine Tobacco Teen and Adult Cessation Programs represent effective, multi-setting, decentralized programs for recruitment and retention of teens and adults for treatment of nicotine dependence. Program components include: recognizing the differences in levels of nicotine dependence, self assessment of tobacco use patterns, recognition of tobacco use for affect regulation, focusing on self image as smoker, use of a cognitive restricting mechanism, and emphasizing the use of trusted allies and support groups. Methods: The analysis will be conducted on existing of tobacco cessation databases including teens (n=95) and adults (n=129). Participants complete a comprehensive tobacco use assessment on entry into the program. Behaviors such as motivation to change; nicotine withdrawal; environmental cues for tobacco use; affect regulation; self image as smoker, stage of change; and barriers to cessation are examined. Results: Adolescent smokers report more social smoking, “power smoking,” and smoking with other substances. Both adolescents and adults report high rates of smoking for affect regulation. While adults describe more nicotine withdrawal symptoms, a significant degree of withdrawal is also experienced by adolescents. Both adolescents and adults report health as their primary motivation for cessation. Conclusion: Adolescent tobacco cessation programs require a different emphasis than adults programs, with a greater focus on social smoking and self image as smoker. Careful attention to tobacco as an affect regulation tool is key in both populations.