Physician modeling influences on patient smokers.
Physicians may be considered important models of healthful behavior for their patients. This analogue study examined the behavioral impact of advice to quit given by a smoking and nonsmoking physician model on 27 light (less than 20 cigarettes per day) and 27 heavy (greater than 20 cigarettes per day) inpatient smokers in a V.A. Medical Center setting. Results indicated that heavy smokers smoked significantly more than light smokers on all measures across conditions. Interestingly, both heavy and light smokers tended to smoke more when the model advised quitting regardless of the presence or absence of model smoking. Post hoc analyses of locus of control revealed that patients with an internal locus of control tended to react to the physician's advice to quit by smoking significantly more during exposure, irrespective of model behavior. Patients with an external locus of control seemed to respond in a manner consistent with the behavior of the model.
Hanks
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Salesmanship Club Youth and Family Centers Inc., Dallas, TX.
Antonuccio
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DO
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010819:Physician's Role; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012380:Role; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology*