Adolescents' attitudes and self-perceptions about anti-tobacco advocacy

Communities are organizing into coalitions with the goal of reducing tobacco use, particularly among youth. Adolescents could make effective and persuasive anti-tobacco advocates in their respective communities, but their attitudes about tobacco advocacy and their perceptions of their own abilities as advocates are unknown. Therefore, the present project assessed attitudes and self-perceptions about anti-tobacco advocacy in 159 high school students attending a tobacco advocacy conference. After the meeting, they completed the Anti-Tobacco Advocacy Questionnaire, which has five factors (Activism, Personal Commitment, Banning Advertisements, Tobacco Morality and Peer Pressure to Use Tobacco). Overall, these high school students were moderately positive about anti-tobacco advocacy; girls more so than boys. Further, they were very positive about their own commitment to avoid tobacco and willingness to speak to others personally, but only moderately positive about their activism abilities. An implication is that community coalitions that include youth might want to focus on building their activism skills as they guide them in managing their youthful energy and enthusiasm.