[Patterns of behaviour of juvenile smokers and non-smokers]

Preventing habitual smoking by young people forms an important goal of health promotion in schools. In achieving this target, information is needed about the age at which smoking becomes a temptation for young people as well as knowledge about the attitudes that are associated with smoking. At two elementary schools and at one grammar school in a community of a former coalmining area, 985 German pupils aged 11-18 years were interviewed with the Youth Self Report (YSR) together with a questionnaire concerning their smoking habits. The rate of smoking among the pupils rose from the age group 11-15 years to the age group 16-18 years (in this age access to cigarettes is no longer restricted by law) from 12% to 63%; between the sexes there is no difference in smoking habits. According to the scales of the YSR in both types of school, smokers scored significantly higher on scales of "antisocial" and ,,aggressive behaviour". On the other hand non-smokers scored significantly higher on the scale "social problems". The significantly higher rate of smokers in both elementary schools compared with the corresponding rate in the grammar school will be interpreted by two interrelated explanations: the influence of lower social class as well as the lack of the deferred gratification pattern as an ingredient of the culture in elementary schools. The difference between smoking and non-smoking juveniles according to the scales of the YSR can be explained by the association of smoking behaviour with the juvenile culture of deviant groups on the one hand and by the attitudes of the non-smokers, who are more reluctant in joining peer groups. The results support a strategy for effectively preventing habitual smoking habits of juveniles in schools by combining youth activities inside and outside the schools.