Relations of Coping Effort, Coping Strategies, Perceived Stress, and Cigarette Smoking among Adolescents

Abstract

Coping strategies may influence adolescent smoking behaviour because they provide alternative behavioral and cognitive outlets which facilitate or inhibit smoking, or because they are expressions of general coping effort to smoke or not smoke. The present investigation examined three possibilities regarding how coping strategies versus coping effort compare as predictors of adolescent smoking: (1) general coping effort to not smoke may be a better predictor of adolescent smoking behaviors than are specific coping strategies; (2) coping strategies may be relatively better predictors of smoking behaviors; or (3) these two constructs may be relatively better predictors of different parameters of smoking behavior. Analytic strategies included calculation of a series of multiple regression models, involving (a) 11 coping strategies previously studied in adolescent smoking research, (b) a new simple measure of coping effort to not smoke, and (c) perceived stress, as concurrent predictors of four smoking-related items. Of the 11 coping strategies, partying, relaxation, seeking spiritual guidance, and getting revenge were related to at least one of the four cigarette smoking items. Only coping effort was directly related to recent smoking behavior, whereas only the coping strategies were related to cumulative smoking. Both types of items predicted refusal self-efficacy and intention to smoke in the future. Apparently, these two types of items show unique as well as common predictive variance. These results suggest that coping strategies are related to cumulative smoking for reasons other than motivation to not smoke.

Stress and smoking in adolescence: A test of directional hypotheses.

“…This has been found in cross-sectional surveys and experiencesampling studies in the United States and other countries (Castro, Maddahian, Newcomb, & Bentler, 1987;Lloyd & Lucas, 1998;Patton et al, 1996;Sussman et al, 1993;Whalen, Jamner, Henker, & Delfino, 2001). In addition, prospective studies have found stress measures to be predictive of smoking onset and escalation (Dugan, Lloyd, & Lucas, 1999;Seltzer & Oechsli, 1985;Sussman & Dent, 2000;Wills, 1986).…”

The protective influence of spirituality and “Health-as-a-Value” against monthly substance use among adolescents varying in risk

“…For example, religious/spiritual factors predict less use and fewer problems associated with alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs among adults [8]. In addition, the negative associations between religious involvement and substance use are found across both cross-sectional and longitudinal research [9,10]. Among adolescents, personal religiosity (i.e., belief in God) has been associated with rejection of substance use [11], an effect that has been found after controlling for demographics and personality variables [12].…”

Non Drug Use- and Drug Use-Specific Spirituality as One-Year Predictors of Drug Use Among High-Risk Youth

“…It is possible to conjecture that these adolescents may feel a sense of spiritual well-being from smoking, in the form of accepting and using cigarette smoking as a stress-coping strategy. Research in the past has suggested that certain coping strategies are predictive of smoking behavior (Sussman et al, 1993). It is a common misconception, especially among adolescents, that smoking helps relieve stress.…”