title: Self-initiated quitting among adolescent smokers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper reviews the literature regarding predictors of adolescent self-initiated smoking cessation and investigates self-initiated smoking cessation among a large sample of alternative high school youth in southern California. Youth transfer to alternative schools because of academic or behavioral problems, and they are at relatively high risk for cigarette smoking.
  
  
  METHODS
  Several demographic (e.g., gender), behavioral (e.g., level of smoking), and psychosocial (e.g., risk-taking) predictors of adolescent smoking cessation were investigated. The alternative high school cohort provided a sufficient sample size of quitters (defined as no use in the past 30 days, measured after a 1-year period) to permit a prospective examination of adolescent smoking cessation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although nine demographic, behavioral, or psychosocial variables discriminated among quitters and nonquitters in univariate analyses, only level of baseline smoking, smoking intention, and perceived stress were predictors in a final multivariable model.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on the literature review and findings among the cohort, smoking cessation programs for adolescents should include counteraction of problem-prone attitudes, support of wellness attitudes, provision of motivation to quit strategies, and assistance with overcoming withdrawal symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, 90033, USA. ssussma@hsc.usc.edu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sussman
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Dent
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Severson
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Burton
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Flay
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001290:Attitude; D002140:California; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010379:Peer Group; D012044:Regression Analysis; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012917:Social Adjustment