Transition through stages of smoking: The effect of gender and self-concept on adolescent smoking behavior

Purpose: To determine whether self-concept, gender, and age are significant factors in an adolescent's transition through stages of smoking to regular smoking. Methods: A questionnaire composed of 29 items (nine questions pertaining to smoking behavior and 20 to four self-concept variables: physical, family, social, and peer self-concept) was administered to 368 randomly selected hi gh school adolescents (188 males and 180 females) aged 12-17 years during r egular contact (roll call) time. Results: Overall, 40.5% of the sample had tried tobacco (excluding chewing tobacco) (42.8% of females and 38.3% of males). Although prevalence of smok ing varied according to the stage of smoking, it increased with age. With r eference to self-concept, Scheffe post hoc contrasts revealed a statistical ly significant difference between physical self-concept and the remaining m easures of self-concept (peer, family, and social) and at each stage of smo king. The effect for male students was less than for females. Conclusion: Programs aimed at prevention and intervention should incorporat e strategies which are commensurate with female lifestyles and the more pos itive aspects that individuals might experience on quitting. (C) Society fo p Adolescent Medicine, 1999.