Group self-identification and adolescent cigarette smoking: a 1-year prospective study.
As an extension of previous work, we analyzed the longitudinal relations between group self-identification and adolescent cigarette smoking. The predictive precedence of cigarette smoking and identification with 6 different types of peer groups was examined. Results indicated that 7th-grade group self-identification predicted 8th-grade cigarette smoking, whereas 7th-grade cigarette smoking did not predict 8th-grade group self-identification. Group self-identification also was compared with 7 other psychosocial variables as predictors of smoking 1 year later. The pattern of results suggests that group self-identification is about as good a predictor of smoking as other psychosocial variables, and that group self-identification is more than a mere proxy of other psychosocial variables.
Sussman
S
S
Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research, University of Southern California, Alhambra 91803-1358.
Dent
C W
CW
McAdams
L A
LA
Stacy
A W
AW
Burton
D
D
Flay
B R
BR
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012574:Schools; D012649:Self Concept; D012907:Smoking; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology