Self-comparison processes, prototypes, and smoking onset among early adolescents.
BACKGROUND
Research has shown that social images or prototypes of smoking peers play a role in adolescents' decisions to start smoking. To devise effective prevention measures, specific information is needed about how adolescents evaluate characteristics associated with smoker prototypes. Such evaluation is assumed to occur through self-comparison processes, that is, 'self-consistency' and 'self-enhancement' motivations. This is one of the first studies to examine longitudinal relations between both these motivational processes and smoking behavior.


METHODS
Self-reported data on motivational processes and smoking were gathered at two waves (with a 1-year interval) among Dutch adolescents (12-16 years). Relations between self-comparison processes and willingness to smoke or future smoking behavior were tested among a sample of 1938 respondents.


RESULTS
Smoker prototypes predicted adolescents' smoking onset, particularly those images that referred to daily smoking peers as being "cool" or "rebellious." Furthermore, self-consistency and self-enhancement motivations predicted smoking onset for certain characteristics associated with smoker prototypes.


CONCLUSIONS
Evidence for the role of self-consistency and self-enhancement motivations in adolescents' smoking onset suggests that smoking prevention projects should target both similar and aspiring features associated with the image of smoking peers.
Spijkerman
Renske
R
IVO (Addiction Research Institute Rotterdam), Heemraadssingel 194, 3021 DM, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Spijkerman@ivo.nl
van den Eijnden
Regina J J M
RJ
Engels
Rutger C M E
RC
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011336:Probability; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012649:Self Concept; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D012932:Social Facilitation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires