Differentiating the Determinants of Ever Having Used a Vape Versus Use Frequency: A Hurdle Modelling Approach

The rising popularity of vaping among young people constitutes a significant public health concern, underscoring the need to identify factors that contribute to youth initiation and continued engagement in this potentially harmful behaviour. Investigation into the psychological mechanisms underlying vaping among young people remains relatively nascent and has, to date, seldom differentiated between the initial decision to try vaping (i.e., ever-use) and the regulation of sustained patterns of use (i.e., use frequency).

We surveyed 451 undergraduate students, collecting data on vaping use, attitudes toward vaping, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, harm perceptions, and behavioural automaticity. A hurdle modelling approach was used to examine two distinct processes: (1) the correlates of ever-use versus no vaping use, and (2) the frequency of use among individuals with prior vaping experience.

Findings supported the application of hurdle modelling, revealing distinct correlates for ever-use and use frequency. Specifically, the former was associated with attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control, whereas the latter was associated solely with attitudes and behavioural automaticity. Notably, harm perceptions were not associated with either ever-use or the frequency of use.

Findings indicate that both ever-use of a vape and frequency of use are associated with beliefs of the outcomes and experiential experiences of the behaviour, rather than by cognitive evaluations of harm. Although conclusions are limited by the cross-sectional design, current results point to the possibility that the psychological determinants of initial experimentation with vaping may differ from those that sustain use frequency.