Self-concept, stress symptomatology, and tobacco use

This study examined psychosocial variables associated with cigarette use while controlling for developmental aspects of adolescence. The variables examined included self-esteem, home-esteem, peer-esteem, and adolescent symptomatology of stress. Nine hundred thirty-four students in grades four-12 from 12 schools in two southeastern Ohio counties participated in the study. Data were collected using the Hare Self-Concept Scale, the Adolescent Stress Symptomatology Scale, and a self-report tobacco use instrument. Multiple analyses of covariance were used and, if significant multivariate differences existed, univariate analyses were conducted. Results suggest adolescent cigarette use and intervention strategies should be viewed from a psychosocial and developmental perspective.