Childhood hyperactivity-inattention symptoms and smoking in adolescence

The objective of the study was to examine in both genders the link between childhood hyperactivity-inattention symptoms (HI-s) and smoking in adolescence, controlling for psychopathology, temperament and environmental risk factors.

Subjects (421 males, 495 females), aged 7 to 18, were recruited in the GAZEL cohort representative of the general population and surveyed in 1991 and 1999. Parent and adolescent self-report measures were used to assess child psychopathology and smoking patterns. Logistic regression was used to assess the effects of childhood hyperactivity-inattention symptoms and other predictors on adolescent smoking.

In females, hyperactivity-inattention symptoms contributed independently to subsequent daily smoking (OR=1.98, p=0.04). In males, hyperactivity-inattention symptoms alone did not increase the risk for smoking. Conduct disorder symptoms was an important predictor in males (OR=2.95, p<0.01) and females (OR=1.75, p=0.09). The risk of adolescent smoking was significantly increased in boys with high activity level (OR=1.70, p=0.03) and decreased in shy girls (OR=0.60, p=0.02). Parental smoking increased the liability to smoking in their offspring (males: OR=1.96, p<0.01; females: OR=1.63, p=0.02).

If replicated, these findings suggest a role for smoking prevention in girls with hyperactivity-inattention symptoms and in boys with high activity level.