Relationships between perceived stress, coping, and smoking behavior were e
xamined both cross-sectionally and prospectively in a large sample of Engli
sh adolescents recruited from secondary schools in East Sussex. Significant
cross-sectional and prospective associations are reported between smoking
behavior and perceived stress, "cathartic" coping, and perception of smokin
g as a coping resource. The hypothesis that female adolescents smoke more t
han do males because they perceive more stress in their lives and cope with
it differently was not supported.