Coping with temptations and adolescent smoking cessation: an initial investigation
Mark G Myers1, Laura Macpherson
1Psychology Service, 116B, Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, 3350 La Jolla Village Drive, San Diego, CA 92161, USA. mgmyers@ucsd.edu
Summary
Adolescents attempting to quit smoking face challenges with resisting temptations. The Smoking Temptation Coping Questionnaire (STCQ) shows promise in assessing coping strategies and predicting successful smoking cessation.
Area of Science:
- Adolescent health
- Behavioral psychology
- Public health
Background:
- Adolescent smoking cessation research is limited.
- Resisting smoking temptation is a key challenge.
- Existing coping research primarily focuses on adults.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the Smoking Temptation Coping Questionnaire (STCQ) for adolescents.
- To assess coping strategies in social pressure smoking temptation situations.
- To adapt an existing measure for adolescent substance use coping.
Main Methods:
- 109 adolescents (14-19 years) participated in a naturalistic smoking self-change study.
- Participants completed baseline and 6-month follow-up interviews.
- Exploratory factor analysis was used to examine the STCQ coping scale.
Main Results:
- The STCQ coping scale yielded a single factor with six strategies.
- The STCQ demonstrated concurrent, predictive, and construct validity.
- Coping scale scores predicted longer abstinence duration in adolescents attempting cessation.
Conclusions:
- The STCQ shows preliminary utility for assessing adolescent coping with smoking temptations.
- Temptation coping plays a significant role in adolescent smoking cessation.
- Further research can utilize the STCQ to understand cessation processes.
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