Gender Differences in Negative Mood, Emotional Intelligence and Tobacco Use among Young Adults

Background: Tobacco use is recognized as a form of addiction and remains a significant health concern. Despite this well accepted problem, the various components associated with tobacco use across gender remain relatively unknown. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between tobacco use and negative moods (anxiety, depression, stress) between men and women. The relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and attitudes about smoking was also investigated. Methods: A questionnaire was used to determine sociodemographic characteristics, negative moods, EI, smoking behavior, and tobacco-related attitudes (N = 350). Results: Amongst individuals who used tobacco products, women reported greater disturbances in stress and anxiety compared to men. In addition, both men and women who used tobacco products reported higher depression scores compared to nonsmokers, however, no gender differences were observed. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that higher EI scores explained negative attitudes about smoking in relation to health concerns. Lastly, women reported stronger attitudes for the restriction of cigarette sales and marketing of tobacco products. Conclusion: These findings support the literature by showing that mood dysregulation is an important factor associated with tobacco use among women. Additionally, we report that specific aspects of EI are psychological constructs closely linked with attitudes about smoking. Future studies elucidating the various components of tobacco use across gender might lead to more effective treatments for smoking.