Social Influence and Psychological Determinants of Smoking Among Inner-City Adolescents

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Abstract
Adolescent smoking continues to rise in the United States. Individuals from economically-disadvantaged households appear at high risk for smoking. This study focused on a sample of economically-disadvantaged adolescents attending New York City schools (N = 1875). Longitudinal predictors of smoking from four domains (socio-demographic background information, social influences to smoke, social and personal competence, and individual differences) were tested. Social influences to smoke, from mothers and friends, both predicted smoking one year later. Poor decision-making skills, and low psychological well-being also predicted subsequent smoking. Conclusion: These findings support social learning theory (Bandura, 1977) and problem behavior theory (Jessor, 1991). Furthermore, the results suggest that training adolescents to resist social influences to smoke, to problem solve and make sound decisions, and how to cope with psychological distress are among the key components for effective smoking prevention approaches.