Predicting smoking in young adulthood: Comparisons of adolescent smokers and nonsmokers Open Access

Abstract

Predicting smoking in young adulthood: Comparisons of adolescent smokers and nonsmokers

Background: Alcohol use and mental health disorders have been associated with smoking. Little
is known about predictors of smoking initiation vs. maintenance from adolescence to young
adulthood.

Objective: This study aims to examine predictors of smoking in young adulthood among (1)
adolescent nonsmokers and (2) adolescent smokers.

Methods: Data were analyzed from the first 5 waves of a 7-wave longitudinal study of
adolescents and their parents entitled Lives Across Time: A Prospective Study of Adolescent and
Adult Development (LAT). The initial 4 waves of assessment occurred during adolescence at 6-
month intervals from 1988-1992. The fifth wave occurred in young adulthood from 1993-1998.

Results: Of the 776 participants included in this analysis, 29.1% smoked at both time points,
47.7% were nonsmokers at both, 13.7% smoked in adolescence but not as an adult, and 9.5% did
not smoke in adolescence but smoked as an adult. Average age of participants in adolescence and
adulthood was 15.79 (SD=.70) and 23.8 (SD=1.35) years, respectively, 50.8% were female, and
98.3% were white. Binary logistic regression indicated that predictors of smoking in young
adulthood among adolescent nonsmokers included less education (OR=0.77, CI 0.60, 0.99,
p=.04), being unmarried in adulthood (OR=0.11, CI 0.20, 0.62, p=.01), lower family social
support (OR=0.97, CI 0.94, 1.00, p=.03), nonsmoking parents (OR=0.42, CI 0.17, 1.03, p=.06),
and increased alcohol use from adolescence to adulthood (OR=1.06, CI 1.03, 1.08, p<.001).
Predictors of smoking in young adulthood among adolescent smokers included lower family
social support (OR=0.97, CI 0.95, 1.00, p=.05), slower decreases in CESD scores from
adolescence to adulthood (OR=1.05, CI 1.00, 1.10, p=.04), and greater proportion of adolescent
friends who used drugs (OR=1.02, CI 1.00, 1.04, p=.05).

Conclusions: These results indicate that distinct factors predict smoking initiation vs.
maintenance among young adults. Thus, interventions targeting specific factors (e.g., depressive
symptoms vs. alcohol use) might address smoking differently among these groups.

This project was supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Grant
R37-AA07861.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

I. Introduction ............................................................................ 1-4

II. Literature Review .....................................................................4-15

III. Method.................................................................................... 15-26
A. Participants .................................................................................15
B. Procedure ................................................................................... 16-17
C. Measures..................................................................................... 18-25
D. Analysis .......................................................................................25-26

IV. Results ......................................................................................... 26-28
V. Discussion ..................................................................................... 28-38
A. Findings for each Research Question ..................................................... 28-36
B. Conclusions .......................................................................................36
C. Strengths and Limitations.................................................................... 36-37
D. Implications and Recommendations ....................................................... 37-38

VI. References .................................................................................... 39-52

VII. Appendix ....................................................................................... 53-58
Table 1 ..................................................................................................53
Table 2 ..................................................................................................54
Table 3 ..................................................................................................55
Table 4 ..................................................................................................56
Table 5 ..................................................................................................57
Figure 1 .................................................................................................58

About this Master's Thesis

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School	Rollins School of Public Health
Department	Behavioral Sciences and Health Education
Degree	MPH
Submission	Master's Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Health Sciences, Public Health Psychology, Behavioral Health Sciences, Mental Health
Keyword	young adulthood adolescence mental health smoking
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Berg, Carla, Emory University
Committee Members	Windle, Michael, Emory University Windle, Rebecca, Emory University
Partnering Agencies	Does not apply (no collaborating organization)

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