Predictors of smoking cessation from adolescence into young adulthood

Although smoking cigarettes is hazardous to health and cessation has positi ve health benefits, few smokers are able to successfully quit. The purpose of this study was to examine the predictors of smoking cessation in a noncl inical sample of 134 male and 190 female, young adult, regular (daily) smok ers within a social learning and maturing-out framework. Four waves of pros pective, longitudinal data from a community sample followed from adolescenc e into young adulthood were analyzed. Logistic regression analyses were use d to test the effects of differential associations, definitions, differenti al reinforcement, and changes in adult role status on smoking cessation in young adulthood. Becoming married to a nonsmoker and decreases in the propo rtion of friends who smoked were significant predictors of cessation. Curre nt smokers and stoppers did not differ significantly in terms of prior inte nsity of cigarette use or alcohol abuse/dependence. They also did not diffe r in terms of psychological characteristics, including depression and prior coping use of cigarettes. Social networks were more important than social roles for predicting cessation in young adulthood. Thus, smoking cessation programs should focus on social learning processes. (C) 2001 Elsevier Scien ce Ltd. All rights reserved.