STAGES OF ACQUISITION AND CESSATION FOR ADOLESCENT SMOKING - AN EMPIRICAL INTEGRATION

Adolescent cigarette smoking acquisition and cessation were integrated into a single nine-stages-of-change continuum using the transtheoreti cal model of change framework. Findings in a high school student sampl e (n > 700) showed that a few of the never smokers were planning to tr y smoking, and half of the current smokers were contemplating quitting . More than half of former smokers were long-term quitters. The high p ros of smoking scores assessing coping benefits of cigarettes were rel ated to smoking acquisition and the high con (disadvantages) scores to long-term abstinence. Never smokers were most tempted to try smoking when they anticipated that smoking would help reduce negative and incr ease positive mood. Current and former smokers were tempted due to pee r cigarette offers and negative mood. These temptations were significa ntly reduced among ex-smokers. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd.