UC Santa Cruz

The use of cigarettes and other substances continues to be a prevalent behavior among adolescents. To assess the general relationships between cigarette/substance use and various personality/attitudinal, parental, and peer influences data was gathered from a sample of 1,194 seventh grade students. The students were predominently white and middle class. Analyses of personality variables found self-esteem and anxiety not to be related significantly to use. Need for peer approval and association with cigarette/substance users showed a small relationship. Of the attitudinal variables health beliefs showed a weak negative relationship, academic orientation a moderate negative, perceived social utility a small positive, and behavioral intention a sizeable positive relationship with cigarette use. Interpersonal influences varied in strength. Parental smoking was moderately related to use (especially for girls), while parental attitudes about smoking were typically even more important (particularly for boys). Peer influences and the students' tendency to use other substances were among the most significant factors accounting for cigarette use. In addition to general findings, three other sets of relationships were considered. The first of these found that students who affiliated with other cigarette smokers were higher in need for peer approval and had a higher perceived social utility for cigarette use. The second question showed self-esteem to not be related significantly to achievement or social variables. The final question indicated that personality variables related to persuasibility do not moderate the influence of peer group smoking. Programmatic suggestions were made.