College Freshmen Smokers versus Nonsmokers: Academic, Social, and Emotional Expectations and Attitudes toward College

Abstract

I n September 1996, 544 college freshmen completed a 142-item survey assessing their academic, social, and emotional expectations of college and attitudes toward cigarette smoking. Differences were explored based on gender and smoking status. Twenty-seven percent (n=148) were smokers, 58% (12=86) o f w h o m were female. Chi-square analyses revealed several significant relationships. Smokers rated themselves significantly higher than nonsmokers in several measures of academic performance, including reading speed, reading comprehension, and earning a B average or higher. They also had significantly higher expectations of the college experience than did nonsmokers. Female smokers were less likely than nonsmoking females to expect to be popular and to be depressed; however, their academic performance expectations were higher than nonsmoking females. Male smokers were more likely than nonsmoking inalcs to expect to be held to the "highest academic standards" and rated themselves as more competitive and more committed to learning than did nonsmoking males. Seventy-three percent of smokers cited stress as a reason for smoking. Smokers rated "having friends and roommates who don't smoke" as the most helpful quitting method. Implications for effective smoking cessation among college students are discussed.Smoking among young adults is a significant health concern in the United States, with an estimated 3,000 teenagers beginning smoking each day, 1,000 of whom are likely to die of smoking-related causes in later life (FDA, 1996). Many colleges and universities are addressing the problem among students, and a growing body of research is available on college students and their habits and attitudes toward the practice. Much of this research has focused on the prevalence and determinants of smoking, the success rates of various cessation and prevention strategies, and the relationship of smoking to other health behaviors. Few current data are available on the relationship between students' smoking status and their academic, social, and emotional expectations and performance in college.The purpose of this study was to understand the smoking habits and attitudes of first-semester college freshmen better as they relate to their expectations of college. Specific research questions include: Do smokers and nonsmokers differ in their academic expectations and perceptions of success in meeting these expectations? Do smokers and nonsmokers differ in their attitudes and expectations about the social and emotional aspects of their lives during college? How do smokers and nonsmokers differ in their attitudes toward smoking? Are there significant differences between male and female smokers and nonsmokers in any of these areas? These relationships are presented and their implications for college health educators are discussed. BackgroundThe prevalence of smoking among college students is estimated to be between 22-however, one midwestern university determined that 37% of its undergraduates aged 17-22 years smoked either regularly or occas...

Predicting Smoking Status in a College‐Age Population

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Smoking Identities and Behavior: Evidence of Discrepancies, Issues for Measurement and Intervention

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