DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, AND SMOKING INITIATION - A PROSPECTIVE-STUDY OVER 3 YEARS

Objectives. This report considers the extent to which depression and a nxiety predict smoking onset in adolescence. Methods. A 6-wave cohort design was used to study a sample of 14- and 15-year-old students (n = 2032) drawn from 44 secondary schools in the state of Victoria, Austr alia. The students were surveyed between 1992 and 1995 with a computer ized questionnaire that included a 7-day retrospective diary for tobac co use and a structured psychiatric interview. Results. Experimental s mokers were 29 times more likely than nonsmokers to make a transition into daily use in the subsequent 6 months. Depression and anxiety, alo ng with peer smoking, predicted initiation of experimental smoking. Sp ecifically, depression and anxiety accentuated risks associated with p eer smoking and predicted experimentation only in the presence of peer smoking. Conclusions. The finding that experimental smoking is an ove rwhelmingly strong predictor of later daily smoking focuses attention on smoking initiation. Depressive and anxiety symptoms are associated with higher risks for initiation through an increased susceptibility t o peer smoking influences. Promoting the psychological well-being of a dolescents and addressing perceived interpersonal benefits of smoking may play a role in the prevention of adolescent tobacco use.