Hostname: page-component-77c89778f8-m8s7h Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-18T03:30:44.798Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Smoking Among A Sample Of Australian Teenagers: Perceptions Of Social And Health Consequences

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 May 2015

Frances V. O'Callaghan
Frances V. O'Callaghan*
Affiliation:
School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University
*
School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, PMB 50 GCMC QLD, Australia 9726. Email: F.OCallaghan@mailbox.gu.edu.au
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Australian national prevalence studies indicate that despite reductions in rates of smoking among younger secondary students, the proportion of smokers among older students remains unchanged in recent years and figures overall give cause for serious concern. This study examines the beliefs underlying adolescents' behaviour in relation to smoking and provides information about which beliefs should be targeted in persuasive communications designed to reduce adolescent smoking. One hundred and thirty adolescents in their second last year of high school were surveyed and results revealed that smokers were largely differentiated from others in relation to the perceived social consequences of smoking. They endorsed the beliefs that smoking would make them feel relaxed, gain personal enjoyment, look cool, and help with weight loss rather than beliefs regarding the health consequences. An important implication of the findings is that interventions may need to focus more on the perceived positive consequences of smoking, on changing social norms by correcting false beliefs about smoking prevalence and consequences, and by incorporating more skills-based components in prevention programs.

Type
Articles
Information
South Pacific Journal of Psychology , Volume 14 , 2003 , pp. 8 - 15
Copyright
Copyright © University of Papua New Guinea and Massey University, New Zealand/Aotearoa 2003

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ajzen, I. & Fishbein, M. (1980). Understanding attitudes and predicting social behaviour. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc. Google Scholar
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (1999). 1998 National Drug Strategy Household Survey: First Results. Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.Google Scholar
Bhatia, S., Hendricks, S., & Bhatia, S. (1993). Attitudes toward and beliefs about smoking in grade school children. International Journal of the Addictions, 28, 271–80.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Botvin, G.J., Baker, E., Goldberg, C.J., Dusenbury, L., & Botvin, E.M. (1992). Correlates and predictors of social learning variables and the risk of habitual smoking among adolescents: the Muscatine study of smoking among black adolescents. Addictive Behaviour, 17, 97–103.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bowen, D.J., Dahl, K., Mann, S.L., & Peterson, A.V. (1991). Descriptions of early triers. Addictive Behaviour, 16, 95–101.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Camp, D.E., Klesges, R.C., & Relyea, G. (1993). The relationship between body weight concerns and adolescent smoking. Health Psychology, 12, 24–32.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chassin, L., Presson, C.C., Montello, D., Sherman, S.J., McGrew, J. (1986). Changes in peer and parent influence during adolescence: Longitudinal versus cross-sectional perspectives on smoking initiation. Developmental Psychology, 22, 327–34.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Collins, L., Sussman, S., Rauch, J. et al. (1987). Psychosocial predictors of young adolescent cigarette smoking: A sixteen-month, three-wave longitudinal study. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 17, 554–573.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
DeJong, W. (2002). The role of mass media campaigns in reducing high-risk drinking among college students. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, Supplement No. 14, 182–192.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
DeJong, W., & Langford, L.M. (2002). A typology for campus-based alcohol prevention: Moving toward environmental management strategies. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, Supplement No. 14, 140–147.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
De Vries, H. & Kok, G.J. (1986). From determinants of smoking behaviour to the implications for a prevention programme. Health Education Research, 1, 85–94.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Donaldson, S.I., Graham, J.W., & Hansen, W.B. (1994). Testing the generalizability of intervening mechanism theories: Understanding the effects of adolescent drug use prevention interventions. Journal of Behavioural Medicine, 17, 915–216.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Donaldson, S.I., Graham, J.W., Piccinin, A.M., & Hansen, W.B. (1995). Resistance-skills training and onset of alcohol use: Evidence for beneficial and potentially harmful effects in public schools and in private Catholic schools. Health Psychology, 14, 291–300.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ellickson, P.L. (1995). Schools. In Coombs, R.H. & Ziedonis, D. (Eds.), Handbook on drug abuse prevention: A comprehensive strategy to prevent the abuse of alcohol and other drugs. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon, pp.93–120.Google Scholar
Fishbein, M., & Ajzen, I. (1975). Belief, attitude, intention and behaviour: An introduction to theory and research. Reading, Mass: Addison-Wesley Publishing Co. Google Scholar
Hill, D., Willcox, S., Gardner, G., & Houston, J. (1987). Tobacco and alcohol use among Australian secondary school children. Medical Journal of Australia, 468, 125–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hill, D., White, V., Pain, M., & Gardner, G. (1990). Tobacco and alcohol use among Australian secondary school students in 1987. Medical Journal of Australia, 128, 124–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hill, D., White, V., Williams, R., & Gardner, G. (1993). Tobacco and alcohol use among Australian secondary school students in 1990. Medical Journal of Australia, 158, 228–34.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hill, D., White, V., & Segan, C. (1995). Prevalence of cigarette smoking among Australian secondary school students in 1993. Australian Journal of Public Health, 19, 445–49.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hill, D., White, V., Letcher, T. (1999). Tobacco use among Australian secondary students in 1996. Medical Journal of Australia, 23, 252–259.Google ScholarPubMed
Hill, D., White, V., & Effendi, Y. (2002). Changes in the use of tobacco among Australian secondary students: Results of the 1999 prevalence study and comparisons with earlier years. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 26, 156–163.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kumpfer, K.L., & Turner, C.W. (1990–1991). The social ecology model of adolescent substance abuse: Implications for prevention. International Journal of the Addictions, 25, 435–463.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Laflin, M.T., Moore-Hirschl, S., Weis, D.L., & Hayes, B.E. (1994). Use of the theory of reasoned action to predict drug and alcohol use. The International Journal of the Addictions, 29, 927–940.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Larimer, M.E. & Cronce, J.M. (2002). Identification, prevention and treatment: A review of individual-focused strategies to reduce problematic alcohol consumption by college students. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, Supplement No.14, 148–163.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lo, S.K., Blaze-Temple, D., Binns, C.W., & Ovenden, C. (1993). Adolescent cigarette consumption: the influence of attitudes and peer drug use. International Journal of the Addictions, 28(14), 1515–1530.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mayhew, K.P., Flay, B.R., & Mott, J.A. (2000). Stages in the development of adolescent smoking. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 59 Suppl.1, S61–S81.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McAlister, A.L., Krosnick, J.A., & Milburn, M.A. (1984). Causes of adolescent cigarette smoking: Tests of a structural equation model. Social Psychology Quarterly, 47, 24–36.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Meier, K.S. (1991). Tobacco truths: The impact of role models on children's attitudes toward smoking. Health Education Quarterly, 18, 173–82.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
O'Connor, J., & Daly, M. (1985). The smoking habit. Dublin: Gill & Macmillan.Google Scholar
Oei, T., & Burton, A. (1990). Attitudes toward smoking in 7- to 9-year-old children. International Journal of the Addictions, 25, 43–52.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Piko, B. (2001). Smoking in adolescence. Do attitudes matter? Addictive Behaviours, 26, 201–217.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Robinson, L.A., Klesges, R.C., Zbikowski, S.M., & Glaser, R. (1997). Predictors of risk for different stages of adolescent smoking in a biracial sample. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 65, 653–662.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Russell, M. (1985). The nicotine addiction trap: A 40-year sentence for four cigarettes. British Journal of Addiction, 85, 293–300.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Swan, A.V., Creeser, R., & Murray, M. (1990). When and why children first start to smoke. International Journal of Epidemiology, 19, 323–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tyas, S.L., & Pederson, L.L. (1998). Psychosocial factors related to adolescent smoking: a critical review of the literature. Tobacco Control, 7, 409–420.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
United States Department of Health and Human Services. (1994). Preventing tobacco use among young people: A report of the Surgeon General. DHHS Publication S/N 017-001-00491-0. Washington, D.C.: Public Health Service, 6–7.Google Scholar
Urberg, K.A., Shyu, S., & Liang, J. (1990). Peer influence in adolescent cigarette smoking. Addictive Behaviour, 15, 247–255.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wechsler, H., Molnar, B.E., Davenport, A.E., & Baer, J.S. (1999). College alcohol use: a full or empty glass? Journal of American College Health, 47, 247–252.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
West, P.H., Sweeting, R., & Ecog, R. (1999). Family and friends' influences on the uptake of regular smoking from mid-adolescence to early adulthood. Addiction, 94, 1397–1412.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
White, H.R., Johnson, V., & Buyske, S. (2000). Parental modeling and parenting behaviour effects on offspring alcohol and cigarette use. A growth curve analysis. Journal of Substance Abuse, 12, 287–310.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Zhu, B.P., Liu, M., Shelton, D., Liu, S., & Giovino, G.A. (1996). Cigarette smoking and its risk factors among elementary school students in Beijing. American Journal of Public Health, 86, 368–375.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed