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Group self-identification and adolescent cigarette smoking: a 1-year prospective study
S Sussman1, C W Dent, L A McAdams
1Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research, University of Southern California, Alhambra 91803-1358.
Journal of Abnormal Psychology
|August 1, 1994
Summary
Adolescent group self-identification predicts later cigarette smoking, but smoking does not predict group identification. This finding highlights the importance of social identity in understanding adolescent smoking behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Social psychology
- Adolescent health
- Substance use research
Background:
- Adolescent smoking is a significant public health concern.
- Previous research explored psychosocial predictors of smoking.
- The role of group self-identification in adolescent smoking requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the longitudinal relationship between group self-identification and adolescent cigarette smoking.
- To examine the predictive precedence of smoking and peer group identification.
- To compare group self-identification with other psychosocial variables as smoking predictors.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal analysis of 7th and 8th-grade students.
- Assessment of group self-identification with six peer group types.
- Examination of cigarette smoking initiation and continuation.
- Comparison of predictive validity with seven other psychosocial variables.
Main Results:
- Seventh-grade group self-identification significantly predicted 8th-grade cigarette smoking.
- Seventh-grade cigarette smoking did not predict 8th-grade group self-identification.
- Group self-identification demonstrated predictive power comparable to other psychosocial variables.
Conclusions:
- Group self-identification is a significant predictor of adolescent smoking onset and continuation.
- Social identity plays a crucial role in adolescent substance use behaviors.
- Group self-identification is not merely a proxy for other psychosocial risk factors.