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Cigarette use by adolescents: attitude-behavior relationships.
F V O'Callaghan1, V J Callan, A Baglioni
1School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
Substance Use & Misuse
|March 19, 1999
Summary
A modified theory of reasoned action (TRA) best predicted adolescent smoking. Past behavior, attitudes, and social norms influenced intentions, which, with past behavior, predicted actual smoking in teens.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Science
- Public Health
- Psychology
Background:
- Adolescent smoking remains a significant public health concern.
- Understanding the theoretical underpinnings of smoking behavior is crucial for intervention development.
- Existing models like the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) and Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) offer frameworks for examining health behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the predictive effectiveness of the TRA, TPB, and a modified TRA incorporating past behavior on adolescent smoking.
- To identify key variables influencing smoking intentions and actual smoking behavior among high school students.
Main Methods:
- Structural equation modeling (SEM) using LISREL for Windows 8.12.
- Comparison of three theoretical models: TRA, TPB, and a modified TRA including past behavior.
- Data collected from 225 high school students on attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, past behavior, intentions, and smoking behavior.
Main Results:
- The modified TRA, incorporating past behavior, demonstrated a marginally superior fit compared to the standard TRA and TPB.
- Attitudes toward smoking, past smoking behavior, and subjective norms significantly predicted adolescents' intentions to smoke.
- Adolescent smoking intentions, combined with past behavior, were significant predictors of actual smoking behavior.
Conclusions:
- A modified TRA, emphasizing the role of past behavior, offers a robust framework for understanding adolescent smoking.
- Key variables such as attitudes, social influences, and prior behavior are critical for predicting adolescent smoking intentions and actions.
- These findings provide valuable insights into the structure of adolescent smoking behavior, informing targeted prevention and intervention strategies.