title: The influence of self-esteem on smoking among African-American school children.
abstract: This study provides some evidence, although not very strong, that self-esteem is associated with the likelihood of smoking among African-American children. In a sample of 1,256 children, those with lowest levels of self-esteem were twice as likely to have ever smoked as those with highest level of self-esteem (95% C.I. = 1.10-7.78). Girls, more so than boys, have an increased risk of smoking at the lowest level of self-esteem. Girls with the lowest level of self-esteem were 2.8 times (95% C.I. = 3.85-16.59) as likely to have smoked when compared to girls with higher self-esteem. The findings suggest preventive interventions that seek to build self-esteem may reduce the likelihood of smoking among girls, although perhaps only modestly. Further study is needed to identify potentially effective methods for reducing the likelihood of smoking among African-American boys.
authors.affiliation: Health Resources and Services Administration, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Crump
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lillie-Blanton
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Anthony
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D015142:Baltimore; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012649:Self Concept; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D014505:Urban Population