Psychosocial determinants of the onset and escalation of smoking: cross-sectional and prospective findings in multiethnic middle school samples

doi:10.1016/S1054-139X(00)00124-5

Journal of Adolescent Health

Volume 27, Issue 4, October 2000, Pages 255-265

https://doi.org/10.1016/S1054-139X(00)00124-5 Get rights and content

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate a broad range of social influence–related and global determinants of smoking to aid in the design of comprehensive multiethnic interventions by testing the most important factors of initiation and escalation of smoking across various subgroups.

Methods: Cross-sectional (N = 2546) and cohort (N = 736) samples of multiethnic middle school students near a large Southwestern metropolis were surveyed through self-report questionnaires. The confidential questionnaires included information on demographics, risk factors, and smoking behavior and were administered in class by trained data collectors. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to examine the statistical significance and strength of the factors.

Results: Those lower in self-esteem and higher in social assertiveness appeared to be most at risk for the onset of smoking, whereas those low in optimism appeared to be the most at risk for the escalation of smoking. Attitudes, friends’ norms, parents’ norms, perceived behavioral control, and perceived prevalence were consistent predictors of all smoking status outcomes.

Conclusions: The behavioral-specific determinants of smoking appear to be important predictors of smoking status outcomes in all demographic subgroups. The relationships of the global determinants were more dependent on the smoking outcome variable and subgroup examined. The findings may serve to help facilitate the targeting of comprehensive interventions aimed at reducing adolescent smoking in multiethnic and ethnic group–specific populations.

Section snippets

Participants and procedures

The cross-sectional sample included sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade students (n = 2546) from four middle schools near a large Southwestern metropolis. At baseline, the cohort sample (n = 736) included sixth-grade students from two schools and seventh-grade students from one school (independent of the cross-sectional participants). Through cooperation of participating school districts, we collected data during normal class periods and under curriculum conditions. Criteria for inclusion in the

Demographic characteristics

The cross-section of participants (52% boys) ranged in age from 11 to 15 years (mean = 12.3). Of this sample, 60% were white, 22% were Mexican American or other Latinos (55% were exposed to and/or used more English than Spanish), 11% were African-American, and 7% were of unspecified ethnicity (persons who either did not provide a response on an ethnicity question or marked an “Other” category). Forty-six percent reported having a parent who had attained a college degree. The cohort participants

Discussion

Considering most respondents were slightly younger than those typically sampled in national surveys, the prevalence of smoking in the current samples is relatively consistent with trends observed for U.S. youth 1, 2, 15, 24. Congruent with social influence models, the results of the current study suggest that persons with stronger attitudinal, normative, and control-related beliefs toward avoiding substance use are consistently less likely to smoke or become smokers. Likewise, those weaker in

Acknowledgements

The data were obtained from an ongoing project funded by the National Institute of Drug Abuse (DA-07024); the principal investigator is Richard I. Evans. Preparation of this article was also supported in part by a grant from the California Tobacco-Related Disease Prevention Program (7KT-0151) to Scott C. Carvajal.

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Original articlePsychosocial determinants of the onset and escalation of smoking: cross-sectional and prospective findings in multiethnic middle school samples

Abstract

Section snippets

Participants and procedures

Demographic characteristics

Discussion

Acknowledgements

J Prev Med

J Adolesc Health

J Adolesc Health

Prev Med

Addict Behav

Prev Med

National Survey Results on drug use From the Monitoring the Future Study, 1975–1997. Vol. ISecondary School Students

Trends in cigarette smoking among US adolescents 1974 through 1991

Am J Public Health

Social psychological contributions to the understanding and prevention of adolescent cigarette smoking

Person Soc Psychol Bull

Reviewing theories of adolescent substance useorganizing pieces in the puzzle

Psychol Bull

From intentions to actionsa theory of planned behavior

The theory of triadic influenceA new theory of health behavior with implications for preventive interventions

The Social Foundations of Thought And ActionA Social-Cognitive Theory

Social influences on smoking initiationimportance of distinguishing descriptive vs. mediating process variables

J Appl Soc Psychol

Long-term follow-up results of a randomized drug abuse prevention trial in a white middle-class population

JAMA

On the processes of peer influence in adolescent drug usea developmental perspective

Adv Alcohol Substance Abuse

Negative social sanctions, self-rejection, and drug use

Youth Society

Activity and mood temperament as predictors of adolescent substance usea test of a self-regulation mediational model

J Person Soc Psychol

Protecting adolescents from harmfindings from the National Longitudinal Study on Adolescent Health

JAMA

Original article
Psychosocial determinants of the onset and escalation of smoking: cross-sectional and prospective findings in multiethnic middle school samples