PERSONALITY, STRESS AND THE DECISION TO COMMENCE CIGARETTE-SMOKING INADOLESCENCE

Adolescent cigarette smoking is an increasing health risk behaviour in many societies. The reason why adolescents commence smoking are paten tly complex, though it has been suggested that young people take up th is behaviour as a means of stress reduction during the difficult and c hallenging time of adolescence. This paper reports data which suggests that adolescent stress, broadly defined, does indeed relate to the de cision to commence smoking by young people. Moreover, though the perso nality attribute of neuroticism is independently associated with this decision, it does not mediate the association between stress and smoki ng onset. The implications of these data for adolescent smoking preven tion programs are discussed.