Attitudes and beliefs of adolescents toward the use of tobacco: a 16 year follow-up

1999 
This study investigates the beliefs and evaluations of those beliefs for adolescents intending and not intending to smoke cigarettes at two intervals over a 16 year period. Elicited beliefs and evaluations of the intenders and nonintenders were compared to determine if significant differences existed for the smoking of cigarettes. Comparisons were then made between the beliefs and evaluations, of intenders and nonintenders, in the 1980 and the1996 groups. Over 450 students in 1980 and over 100 students in 1996, attending high schools in northeastern Ohio, were surveyed using a Likert type closed format questionnaire utilizing a +3 to -3 scale. T tests were used to ascertain whether significant differences existed between intenders and nonintenders.. Having obtained significant T’s, simultaneous confidence intervals were used to detect significant differences between intenders and nonintenders on specific beliefs. The results showed that those intending and those not intending to smoke cigarettes held significantly different beliefs. Those adolescents intending to smoke believed that this behavior would lead to relieving tension, relaxation, looking cool, and feeling older, . Those not intending did not believe these would occur as a result of smoking. Comparisons of the beliefs from the 1980 survey and the 1996 survey showed consistent results. In the 1980 survey, however, students who did not intend to smoke felt that smoking would lead to trouble with their parents. The intenders in that survey did not believe this to be a result of smoking. By identifying the beliefs which serve as key determinants of this behavior health educators can better promote positive health behaviors.
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