Cigarette Smoking and Drug Use in Schoolchildren: IV--Factors Associated with Changes in Smoking Behaviour

Abstract

Factors associated with changes in the smoking behaviour of approximately 6000 schoolchildren (two cohorts aged between 10 and 12 years in 1979) over 12 months are described. They were measured twice as part of a randomized controlled trial of a smoking prevention programme. Four groups were defined: (a) those who became smokers (adopters); (b) those who remained non-smokers; (c) those who became non-smokers (quitters), and, (d) those who remained smokers. Personal and social variables were ordered using a logistic regression model according to the strength of their association with adopting and quitting smoking. Factors distinguishing adopters from children who remained nonsmokers were, being a member of the older cohort, having friends who smoke, having siblings who smoke, approving of cigarette advertising and having a relatively large amount of money to spend each week. Factors distinguishing quitters from children who continued to smoke were, having siblings who do not smoke, being a member of the younger cohort, disapproving of cigarette advertising and having a relatively small amount of money to spend each week. Initial attitude scores were indicative of future smoking behaviour and where smoking behaviour changed, attitudes also changed so that the two remained congruent. The younger cohort improved their knowledge of smoking hazards over the year irrespective of their smoking behaviour. The older cohort showed significant differences in knowledge which were dependent upon smoking category, with 1980 smokers having lower knowledge scores than non-smokers and showing an apparent decrement in their previous knowledge.

Psychosocial correlates of cigarette smoking abstinence, experimentation, persistence and frequency during adolescence

“…Second, several variables that have a demonstrated relationship with smoking were not included: specific efficacy (e.g., Baer, Kamarck, Lichtenstein, & Ramson, 1989), degree to which person feels that their behavior controls their health (e.g., Leventhal & Cleary, 1980), reasons for quitting, temptation coping (Shiffman, 1984), parental disapproval (e.g., Ary, Biglan, Nautel, Weissman, & Severson, 1983;Hansen, Graham, Sobel, Shelton, Flay, & Johnson, 1987), beliefs about the connection between smoking and body weight (Meyers, Klesges, Winders, Ward, Peterson, & Eck, 1997), abstinence maintenance social support (e.g., Horwitz et al, 1985), health beliefs about smoking (e.g., Leventhal, Fleming, & Glynn, 1988), and how much money each week to spend (Alexander, Callcott, Dobson, Hardes, Lloyd, & O'Connell, 1983). Any of these variables may be related to smoking frequency or persistence and should be examined in future studies.…”

Psychosocial predictors of nicotine dependence in Black and Puerto Rican adults: A longitudinal study

“…A number of studies have shown that having parents or siblings who smoke or use illegal drugs in the family increases one's risk of regular smoking (Alexender et al, 1983;Brook et al, 2004;Chassin, Clark, Presson, Sherman, & McGrew, 1986;Denton & Kampfe, 1994;Kierker, Avenevoli, Merikangas, Flaherty, & Stolar, 2001;Eckhardt, Woodruff, & Elder, 1994;Fagan, Brook, Rubenstone, & Zhang, 2005;Flay et al, 1994;Jackson & Henriksen, 1997;Nyari, Heredi, & Parker, 2005;Ohannessian et al, 2004). Although modeling is often cited as the reason for the observed link between smoking among family members, genetic effects may also be at play (Boomsma, Koopmans, Van Doornen, & Orlebeke, 1994;Maes et al, 1999).…”

Tobacco marketing and adolescent smoking: more support for a causal inference

“…Very few longitudinal studies that prospectively link exposure to tobacco advertising to smoking initiation have been done. Two Australian studies reported higher rates of smoking initiation among youth who 1 or 2 years earlier had indicated approval of cigarette advertising 40 or reported that cigarette advertisements made smoking appear attractive to them. 41 A Scottish study found that youths with higher awareness of, and liking for, cigarette advertisements at baseline were more likely to develop positive intentions to smoke after a 1-year follow-up period, but a significant effect on smoking behavior was not observed.…”