Self-efficacy mediates the effect of depression on smoking susceptibility in adolescents

Research indicates that negative affect and/or depression is associated with increased prevalence for smoking and higher levels of nicotine dependence in adults and adolescents. A previous study with adult smokers attempting to quit indicated that low levels of self-efficacy partially mediated depression's adverse effect on posttreatment cessation.

The current study attempted to test self-efficacy as a potential mediator between depressive symptoms and smoking susceptibility in adolescents. One thousand and ninety-three nonsmoking high-school students who were part of a large clinical trial evaluating an interactive CD-ROM-based smoking prevention/cessation curriculum (project ASPIRE) were included in this analysis. These students completed an extensive battery before treatment and 18 months after treatment, which included measures of depression, self-efficacy, smoking status, and smoking susceptibility.

Results indicated that self-efficacy partially mediated the positive relationship between baseline depressive symptoms and susceptibility to smoke at 18 months, accounting for approximately 27% of the variance.

Perhaps future interventions to prevent smoking in adolescents can target self-efficacy potentially resulting in more effective outcomes, particularly in adolescents with current depressive symptoms or who may be at risk for future depression.